The only thing worse than starting your preseason with the Houston Texans is following them up with the Buffalo Bills, but that's the lot the Steelers drew.
One of the more important things to watch for during these games will be how well the defense can hold up. That’s where my mind was when previewing Pittsburgh’s opener, and that’s where it is today. More specifically, one of the the guys I'm looking forward to seeing play meaningful snaps against the Bills is defensive back Donte Jackson.
To put into perspective just how little the Steelers prioritized cornerback help this offseason, consider this: they only drafted one – Texas' Ryan Watts, who was their last pick in the draft. And he’s since transitioned to playing safety. It’s not all bad though, as Jackson will be put in a great position to impress coaches and show how much he's improved so far.
That's not meant to be a knock on Jackson. Rather, he simply has an opportunity to make a big impact; if he’s a guy worth grabbing in exchange for the Steelers' best wide receiver, then I’d prefer to see him dominate.
So what is it about a preseason against the Bills that's so perfect for him? Easy: Keon Coleman.
The Jackson-Coleman pairing is a match made in heaven for both sides
Keon Coleman, who starred at Florida State, was Buffalo’s top pick in the draft, taken with the first pick of the second round.
Standing at 6’4, Coleman was a go-to target for the Seminoles' QBs and established a knack for reeling in some big-boy passes en route to being the team's leading receiver. He's the perfect type of player for Jackson to go up against when prepping for the season—and I don’t say that solely for the sake of the latter.
Jackson may have much to prove, but at least he has years of experience under his belt. Coleman obviously doesn't, and the Bills will want their rookie wide receiever to be pushed as often as possible before the regular season, especially now that they don't have Stefon Diggs.
So we have two studs – both highly regarded by their teams – with a ton of responsibility on their shoulders (potentially) lining up against each other. How could that not turn out beautifully?