The long wait for real Pittsburgh Steelers football is almost over. Of course, the NFL preseason is as real as you allow it to be. Focus in on the right players fighting for depth chart position or just a spot on the 53-man roster, and you’ll find the drama of the preseason.
As far as the Steelers are concerned, they’ll face the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road Saturday night. Some of the bigger stars, such as T.J. Watt, are not expected to play, so all eyes will be on the youngsters on the roster looking to fill a role on the team.
One player Steelers fans will certainly want to watch during the contest is fourth-round pick Jack Sawyer out of Ohio State, who is expected to start the game on the edge for Pittsburgh and see significant reps throughout the game.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Jack Sawyer expected to see extended action in debut
Sawyer benefits from Watt sitting out of preseason games and the most recent groin injury that Alex Highsmith is dealing with. With Nick Herbig also not suiting up, there is nobody above him in the edge rotation, so Sawyer will get ample opportunities to chase around Jacksonville’s quarterbacks.
Sawyer could split some time with DeMarvin Leal, who was listed as an “or” option next to Sawyer on the unofficial depth chart released earlier this week. Still, Sawyer should see plenty of reps against the Jaguars' starters and reserves.
That opens up a serious opportunity for Sawyer to make some noise in his Steelers debut. Outside of left tackle Walker Little, who PFF ranked as the No. 32 tackle in the league, the Jaguars are relatively weak at the position. Considering the starters won’t be in for very long at all, and Sawyer can lick his chops at getting after Nick Mullens or John Wolford without much resistance.
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Of course, Sawyer was a fourth-round pick for a reason. He only had 23 sacks across four seasons with the Buckeyes. He was a star player in Columbus, but it was his playmaking ability, particularly in his senior season, that helped him acquire that status.
Nonetheless, with a strong showing, Sawyer can work to remove that ‘or’ label on the depth chart, tying him and Leal together. String a few similar performances together, and he might be able to contribute to the edge rotation in his rookie season rather than simply being a special teams redshirt.