Who has the most to prove in tonight’s Steelers preseason opener?
At long last, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be in a stadium tonight playing a football game. It might not count for anything, but Steelers players will be doing football things in a 60-minute setting. If you are reading this, then that definitely means something to you, and you will probably be watching.
And if you are reading this, then you probably have some pretty strong opinions about a lot of new faces. There are many players new to the Steelers this year, either through free agency, the draft, or trade. All of them come in with something to prove, in one way or another, but who has the most riding on tonight’s game?
One preseason game isn’t going to make or break anybody, although, with only three games, it doesn’t help to stink. Perhaps rookies have the most to gain, I think, in tonight’s game, while veterans have the most to lose. If Justin Fields goes out there and bombs, for example, the Steelers will probably have some serious worries.
On the other hand, I don’t think they will rake Beanie Bishop Jr. over the coals if he struggles in his first in-stadium action of his career. The Steelers have only seen him in a practice setting, and they understand stadium work might take some warming up to. He would have two more chances.
But there are rookies vying for starting roles, and I think that is where my focus is. Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier will hopefully get some work with the Steelers’ first-team offense. If they look like they belong, that could change the depth chart starting next week.
Then again, nobody has more on the line than those who are on the actual roster fringe. There’s a big difference between competing for a starting job and competing for a job. So, for the Steelers, guys like Ryan Watts, Logan Lee, and Jack Colletto can’t afford to start off slow.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are in training camp and the preseason and the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
