The 2023 preseason went about as well as possible for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They went 3-0, and just about every player who needed to prove something did so.
But nothing means anything until week one, and we will learn a lot about this team when the games start to matter. Here are five guys I’m expecting to learn the most about on September 10th, when the Steelers host the San Francisco 49ers.
LB Kwon Alexander
The Kwon Alexander signing was an exciting one, especially so late in the offseason. In his prime, Alexander was an every-down linebacker, and had a huge impact on the game. He’s coming off just his second full season of his career, as he has dealt with a plethora of injuries. Is he going to be one of the main guys on this front seven, or is he just going to be a rotational depth piece who can be a coverage linebacker?
RB Jaylen Warren
Warren has gotten a lot of hype this offseason. As an undrafted rookie, he made a splash, especially going into the back half of the season in the passing game. While some thought the Steelers were going to bring in a veteran to add depth behind Najee Harris, they chose to stand pat, all but locking Warren into the RB2 role. However, there have been some rumbles lately that he could eat into Najee Harris’ early-down workload. I wouldn’t expect too much of that, especially early, but it’ll be interesting to see just how much run Warren gets.
EDGE Markus Golden
Just two years ago, Markus Golden recorded 11 sacks. Now, it’s a big question mark if he will see significant snaps. Life comes at you fast in the NFL. He’s clearly behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith on the pecking order, and Nick Herbig’s unbelievable preseason makes it tough to keep him off the field. At 32, Golden needs to prove his best days aren’t long behind him.
WR Calvin Austin III
It’s going to be nice to finally see Austin on the field after he missed all of his rookie season with an injury. The question is, what is he going to be doing on the field? It seems like he is set to return punts, but there’s lots of talk about using him in other ways. He could be used in jet sweeps, as a traditional receiver, or even out of the backfield if they want to get tricky. He’s such an explosive athlete that he could thrive in any role.
CB Levi Wallace
With Cameron Sutton leaving in free agency, it seemed like Wallace was set to be CB1 until the team brought in Patrick Peterson. Then, they drafted cornerback Joey Porter Jr. with the first pick of the second round. The pecking order among the three will be interesting to watch develop and see how much exactly Wallace will see the field with Porter pushing for playing time. Wallace is on a steal of a contract right now, at $4 million for this season after picking off four passes in the first year of his deal, but he is a free agent after the season. If he’s part of the Steelers’ long-term plans, expect him to be getting his run as the top corner this season, at least until Porter is ready.
