The Steelers are now back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, facing down a long regular season that looks a lot more promising given how things have gone leading up to it. Finishing just above .500 last year, they anticipate being able to compete with any team in the league this season with second-year QB Kenny Pickett leading the way.
They’ve done a great deal to address what they identified as their shortcomings during the offseason, which included addressing the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary and the inside linebacker room, which is nearly entirely different from last year. The results have been positive so far.
Even well into the regular season and beyond, there are going to be plenty of questions that need answered. When will the core rookies get to play, or even start? Is the depth sufficient where they upgraded? Can they stand toe-to-toe with the Bengals and the other top teams in the league? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout the season, as we have for many years.
Question: Which rookie will have the biggest impact during the regular season opener?
While none of the rookies are expected to start, it is likely that all of those on the 53-man roster will dress, including seventh-round OL Spencer Anderson, albeit as the eighth lineman. We can reasonably anticipate that the other five rookies may all possibly play.
Of the five, DL Keeanu Benton and TE Darnell Washington seem to have the most assured path to playing time. Washington ought to be the team’s primary blocking tight end, while Benton is the second-string nose tackle who is bound to rotate, especially with Larry Ogunjobi nursing a foot issue and Cameron Heyward apparently dealing with some stomach ailment.
Beyond that, it will be very interesting to see how CB Joey Porter Jr. is used, with the anticipation that he is not going to start. There was a recent report by Gerry Dulac indicating that Patrick Peterson will be largely staying on the outside for now, rather than kicking into the slot. That could complicate Porter’s path to the field.
Then there is OLB Nick Herbig, who figures to be competing with Markus Golden for the primary backup role at the position behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Especially in the early portions of the season, you would expect a rotation here.
Finally, there is the matter of Broderick Jones, who will be the swing tackle behind Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle. But he could potentially be used as a sixth lineman to bring on an extra blocker. This is something the Steelers have done relatively frequently when they have young linemen they want to develop.
And I’m sure Jones and Washington wouldn’t complain about working side by side again. With WR George Pickens on the field as well.
