Pittsburgh Steelers football is officially back, as the team plays the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night in their first preseason game of the season. This year's offseason has been one of the wildest in team history, and the buzz around training camp has shown it. Large crowds have been heading to Latrobe to get an early look at this year's team, and Saturday will offer the first chance to see them in action against another NFL opponent.
Preseason games are, in many ways, tryouts for players hoping to prove themselves and earn a spot on the final roster. With that in mind, these three position groups will be especially interesting to watch on Saturday night.
Key positional battles for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they face the Jaguars
Is Skylar Thompson ready to seize the QB3 role from Will Howard?
There was plenty of excitement when Pittsburgh selected Will Howard in the sixth round of this year’s draft, and many fans have high expectations for him. As things stand, Howard and Skylar Thompson are set to compete for the QB3 spot.
Unfortunately, Will Howard injured his hand during practice this week and could miss the entire preseason. It's a tough break, as Howard had been having a strong training camp. He and Skylar Thompson were expected to split reps throughout the preseason, but with Howard sidelined, Thompson will now see significantly more playing time.
If Thompson performs well, what does that mean for Howard? Will the team stick with a sixth-round draft pick who didn’t take a single preseason snap? Will they keep all four quarterbacks on the roster, or could one of them be cut when it’s time to trim down the roster?
Steelers need standout WR performances to bring more clarity at the position
For the second straight season, the Steelers' wide receiver room is a crowded group of players fighting to make the final roster. As it stands, DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin, and Roman Wilson are locks to make the team, but beyond them, it’s difficult to predict who else will earn a spot or how many receivers the Steelers will keep on the 53-man roster.
Players like Robert Woods, Ben Skowronek, Scotty Miller, Brandon Johnson, and undrafted rookie Roc Taylor should all see quality playing time to give coaches a solid evaluation of this position group.
If Saturday night’s performance from this group is underwhelming, it could push the Steelers’ front office to take a closer look at signing another free-agent wide receiver or pursuing a trade. Currently, the team does not have a clear-cut number two pass catcher on the roster, so this preseason will be crucial for some of these players to prove they already have the talent to fill that role and prevent the team from having to look outside the building for help.
How deep is the defensive line rotation?
The defensive line finds itself in a similar situation to the wide receiver group. Heyward, Benton, and Harmon are the clear starters, but behind them, there are many depth questions. The defensive line was the biggest focus this offseason, with the team drafting Derrick Harmon in the first round, Yahya Black in the fifth, and re-signing Isiahh Loudermilk.
Beyond those players, others like Logan Lee, Daniel Ekuale, and Demarvin Leal are competing for limited spots, and it seems only one of them will make the roster.
This was another position where the front office might have been expected to add a veteran, but instead, they’re opting to let the preseason play out before making any decisions. Either way, some players will need to step up in a big way.