The hope was for the Pittsburgh Steelers to continue the success they found in their first preseason game. Instead, both sides of the ball came out flat and struggled. It was a far different-looking team this week.
The storyline heading into this game was all about the quarterbacks once again. Will Howard and Drew Allar were given the entire game to prove their worth after a great debut.
Both came crashing back to earth.
This team is certainly still figuring out who is worth keeping and who to cut. Most of their players didn’t help their cause this week.
The Pittsburgh Steelers saw more losers than winners in their preseason game against the Jets
Winner: Jack Sawyer
While Jack Sawyer feels like he has a limited ceiling, he still provides the Steelers with amazing depth at the edge rusher position. He sets the edge well against the run and flashed as a pass rusher with a sack in this game.
Just as important, when he couldn’t get to the quarterback, he got his hand up and batted a pass away. It is rare to have the fourth option on your depth chart be as solid as Sawyer seems to be.
Winner: Carson Bruener
We all know Carson Bruener is a great special teams player. That was how he cut his teeth as a rookie, and it will be his core role once again in 2026. However, we have seen him flash on defense during both preseason games.
For a game lacking a lot of bright spots, Bruener feels like he has taken a step forward. It won’t materialize into a prominent role in 2026, but there could be room for him in 2027.
Winner: Rayshawn Jenkins
The biggest winner on the Steelers tonight, and it wasn’t really close. Rayshawn Jenkins looked fine during the first preseason game and shined this week. We know he is a physical tone setter on defense, and he showed that in this game.
He was an aggressive blitzer and set the tone for the defense after their early struggles. He kept constant heat on the quarterback and was all over the defense. In a night full of 'meh', Jenkins shined and locked up his roster spot.
Loser: Kaden Wetjen
Kaden Wetjen found himself on the winners list last week due to his offensive performance. This week, he lands on the loser list due to his impact on the return game. Considering this was why he was drafted, this doesn’t feel like a great sign.
Wetjen had his shot on a deep punt early in the game. He ran far too laterally, though, and a tough hit forced the ball out. Luckily, the Jets player attempting to recover the fumble couldn’t keep both feet in bounds, but it was an ugly mark for the fourth-round rookie.
Loser: The offensive line
From the starting group to the backups, the most heavily invested position on the Steelers felt like a letdown. No one stood out in a positive way, and there were quite a few players who fell on their faces this week.
Broderick Jones got beat for a sack. Just as we were hoping to see him turn his career around, he reverted back to his old ways. Dylan Cook has also been lackluster so far. The interior of the line doesn’t feel settled either. The reserves don’t inspire much hope.
The Steelers have dedicated themselves to building their offensive line. Now, this group needs to put everything together. It hasn’t happened yet.
Loser: Will Howard
We just watched Howard’s best shot at securing the top backup role slip through his fingers. The Steelers gave him every opportunity to prove that he could take that next step, and he fell flat on his face against the Jets.
He had a few solid reps, but two ugly interceptions derailed his day. Mason Rudolph just went from on the roster bubble to almost a roster lock, and he didn’t even have to play. Now the question is: do the Steelers keep four quarterbacks on the roster to stash Howard?
Loser: Steelers trade value
Pittsburgh doesn’t boast a lot of top-level talent to trade at roster cutdowns, but there were a few names that could have garnered some late-round pick interest.
Rudolph had rumors swirling that he could be playing elsewhere, but after Howard’s struggles, he feels like a lock to make this team. Broderick Jones regressed back to his norm and doesn’t feel like a viable starter.
While Kaleb Johnson got a lot of burn in this game, he didn’t look impressive. He feels more likely to be cut than traded. It doesn’t feel like the Steelers will be able to move any of these players this year ahead of roster cutdown day.
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