In the blink of an eye, we’ve gone from the preseason opener with a ton of enthusiasm and anticipation, all the way to the preseason finale Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Ford Field in Detroit for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A lot has happened since the Steelers kicked things off against the Houston Texans on Aug. 9. New faces have joined the team, some players have been lost for the year, and position battles continue to take shape ahead of final cutdowns on Aug. 27.
Though two members of the rookie class in first-round offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and third-round wide receiver Roman Wilson won’t play against the Lions, the rest of the Steelers’ rookie draft class will hit the field.
Much of the attention will be paid to the quarterback situation for the Black and Gold once again as both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will play. But there is plenty to watch for with the healthy members of the rookie class, from second-round center Zach Frazier to sixth-round safety Ryan Watts.
Here’s one thing I’m watching for with each member of the Steelers’ rookie draft class in the preseason finale.
C ZACH FRAZIER — PHYSICALITY IN THE RUN GAME
Through the first two preseason games, I have been rather impressed by Zach Frazier’s play from a pass-protection standpoint. He’s really looked good handling bull rushes, resetting and fitting his hands well at the point of attack, and really has leaned into that wrestling brawler mentality in pass protection.
Pass protection doesn’t have to be passive, and Frazier has shown that. I would like to see more physicality and finish in the run game, though. The Lions are a very physical, chippy team, and I want to see Frazier match that.
His functional athleticism has shown up on tape through the first two preseason games. He’s moved well, climbed to the second level with ease and has landed some difficult reach blocks.
But I want to see him really get after guys and move them off the spot, finishing through the whistle like we saw in college. The center job is his now. Time to show a bit more physicality in the run game and set the tone.
LB PAYTON WILSON — GROWTH IN COVERAGE
In his preseason debut against the Texans, Wilson played with his hair on fire. He was everywhere on the field, making a tackle for loss on his first defensive snap and finishing with a game-high seven tackles. He looked terrific against the run, which was to be expected.
But Wilson struggled in pass coverage quite a bit. He was overzealous at times, playing too amped up. That caused him to be out of position on some reps, and he got caught watching the quarterback on one rep in scramble mode and lost his guy leading to a big completion.
Against Buffalo last week, Wilson played just 26 snaps before exiting in concussion protocol. To his credit, he was better in pass coverage, but wasn’t tested the way Houston did. That might happen with the Lions on Saturday, a team that likes to use its tight ends and running backs in the passing game.
Wilson needs to show he has developed in that area of his game if he wants to see more action in nickel and dime roles. He has the physical traits to do it; he just needs to show better awareness on the field.
IOL MASON MCCORMICK — SNAP COUNT AND USAGE
This is the same thing I watched for from Mason McCormick in the preseason opener against the Texans, but it rings true in a different way now against the Lions. With veteran center Nate Herbig lost for the season due to a shoulder injury, the Steelers are hurting at backup center behind Frazier.
Spencer Anderson is a name to remember as a potential backup center, and so is McCormick. The South Dakota State product has been getting some limited work at center this week leading up to the game. It’s a relatively new position to him, McCormick having played just 15 snaps at the position in college. The Steelers worked him out pre-draft as a center and like his potential there, but snaps in practice are different from snaps in-stadium in the NFL.
Hopefully McCormick gets a long look at center against the Lions along with Anderson. The fourth-round pick has impressed during the preseason and throughout training camp. He’s much farther along at this point than many expected. Adding responsibilities to his plate might be asking a bit too much, but it’ll be curious to see how he handles the snaps, should he get them at the pivot against the Lions.
DL LOGAN LEE — FIND A POSITION
Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and defensive line coach Karl Dunbar can praise Logan Lee all they want for his versatility and preparedness. They are good traits to have. But being able to play multiple positions doesn’t mean much if you’re not really making any plays.
Right now, that’s the case for Lee. He’s played 40 snaps this preseason and has just two assisted tackles. Making the transition from college to the pros in the trenches can be difficult. Lee is finding that out right now. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t appear to have one true position.
To his credit, he’s handled moving around just fine, holding his own from a strength standpoint all over the defensive line. But he’s running out of time to make an impression. Find a position and make some plays.
S RYAN WATTS — CREATE A SPLASH
Through the first two preseason games, Ryan Watts has done a lot of good. He’s made some plays in the box as a run defender, drawn a penalty on special teams as a gunner, and has been around the ball quite a bit. He’s been wrong quite a bit, too, from an assignment standpoint, which has drawn the ire of Austin. But he’s playing fast and trying to make an impact while transitioning to a new position. Can’t fault him too much.
Now, in his final shot at making an impression, Watts needs to have some splash. Yes, the tackle in the box against the run during the Houston game was impressive for the way he played it, and it was nice to see him have an impact on special teams, drawing a block-in-the-back penalty as a gunner. But now he needs to create splash on the ball defensively.
Watts nearly had an interception against the Texans but was quiet against the Bills in the rain and sloppy conditions. Now, the Steelers will be playing indoors at Ford Field on a fast track. Time for Watts to let his athleticism shine and make a splash play.
Often, we see roster bubble guys create some big plays late in the preseason to grab hold of a spot. I believe Watts is closer to a roster spot than others in the secondary in a similar position. But a splash play or two against the Lions would go a long way toward cementing that roster spot.
