Will the Steelers unveil their much-hyped new secondary in the preseason finale?
After sitting many starters in the first two preseason games, the Steelers could field their starting secondary in the finale. HC Mike Tomlin only ruled out four players for the last preseason game, including the usual suspects like Aaron Rodgers. But he didn’t say that Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. won’t play.
Quite frankly, I don’t know why the Steelers haven’t been playing Porter. He is a third-year player who still has plenty of room to grow and isn’t exactly on the cusp of a Pro Bowl. Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey are as been-there, done-that as you can come while still being able to play. I get why they’re not playing, but Porter’s absence is less obvious. He did have an injury earlier in camp, but he returned to practice.
Based on the observations of many, Tomlin seems to be more ecstatic about the Steelers’ current secondary than he has been about any position group he’s ever had. Perhaps it doesn’t hurt that he is a former defensive backs coach, but it’s more than that. On paper, having Ramsey and Slay on the field is absolutely insane, for one thing. But nobody really expects to see either of them at their absolute best, I don’t think—except maybe Tomlin.
While he hasn’t felt the Steelers needed to play this secondary because of its experience, they are still new as a group. Short of perhaps the offensive line—and maybe not even—communication and cohesion are most important for the secondary. If you don’t know what assignment another defensive back has, that’s a touchdown.
So the question is how does Tomlin weigh the benefits versus the risks of the Steelers bringing this secondary out? Even if Ramsey and company do play tonight, they surely won’t play for very long. The Panthers have already said they don’t plan to play their starters. What are we going to learn if Ramsey picks off a third-string quarterback?
The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. While they made a lot of moves, they have to put the pieces together. The 2025 NFL Draft class could play a big role, but veteran additions will be paramount.
But we still have a long training camp ahead for Steelers football. We survived the Aaron Rodgers situation and moved on to other things–other dramas sometimes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go.
