Week 1 of the pre-season is upon us, and although Mike Tomlin didn\u2019t make it official, we can assume that many starters won\u2019t see action in the opener this Saturday in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n
Those include new Steelers starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who, at 41 years old, will be covered in proverbial bubble wrap to avoid injury risk. You can add TJ Watt and Cam Heyward to that list as well.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, rookie QB Will Howard suffered a broken finger in practice, so his much-anticipated debut will be delayed.<\/p>\n
But there will be many others vying for spots on the 53-man roster, or even the practice squad.<\/p>\n
Here are a handful of them you should keep an eye on.<\/p>\n
Kaleb Johnson, running back<\/p>\n
The Steelers third-round pick has looked impressive in camp, and many have speculated he\u2019ll end the season as the team\u2019s leading ball carrier. However, Johnson was listed third on the initial depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and veteran Kenneth Gainwell.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s not read too much into this. The Steelers generally ask their rookies to \u201cearn their stripes,\u201d and Johnson will have his first crack at that on Saturday.<\/p>\n
His ability in the backfield has never been an issue – Johnson is a bruising back with above-average speed for his size. However, there are questions about his ability in pass protection and the receiving game. Those are areas where he\u2019ll hope to impress the staff leading into the regular season.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d anticipate him to play roughly three to four series, beginning late in first quarter with the second team.<\/p>\n
Roman Wilson, wide receiver<\/p>\n
Wilson played just six snaps last season after battling an injury that never allowed him to find his footing. The Steelers 2024 third-round pick has a golden opportunity this season, as the black and gold have little depth at the position.<\/p>\n
Wilson, similar to Kaleb Johnson, was buried on the initial depth chart, listed as the sixth wideout behind the likes of Scotty Miller and Robert Woods.<\/p>\n
Arthur Smith has deployed Wilson on almost of all his snaps with the first-team offense, something he obviously didn\u2019t get last season.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s received mixed reviews in camp, but reportedly just put together his best day.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d anticipate he starts the game and plays at minimum the entire first half.<\/p>\n
The Steelers have already, unfortunately, suffered a handful of injuries to their defensive line in camp, most recently losing Dean Lowry to a torn ACL.<\/p>\n
Black, a fifth-round selection out of Iowa, has been a bright spot over the past few weeks.<\/p>\n
The space eater has shown the versatility to line up at both defensive tackle and end, something I didn\u2019t necessarily have on my bingo card. He\u2019s deflected multiple passes at the line of scrimmage and been a disruptive presence in the rush game.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll have a good chance this preseason to solidify a roster spot, starting this Saturday.<\/p>\n
Castro, an undrafted free agent, is the third former Iowa Hawkeye on this list. While the headline picks like Derrick Harmon and Johnson have received most of the attention, a quieter story is developing with the emergence of Castro.<\/p>\n
Outside of DeShon Elliott, the Steelers safety group is nothing to write home about.<\/p>\n
Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark are two journeyman who I wouldn\u2019t qualify as difference makers.<\/p>\n
Castro has great zone instincts in coverage and is physical at the line of scrimmage. He\u2019s already 24 years old, so he doesn\u2019t have the highest ceiling, but he\u2019s incredibly savvy and wouldn\u2019t be a player who needs to hold a clipboard for two years.<\/p>\n
I wouldn\u2019t label him as an underdog story. The kid can flat out play, and he\u2019ll get the chance to do that in these tune-ups.<\/p>\n
Roc Taylor, Wide Receiver<\/p>\n
Can you smell what the Roc is cooking? Well apparently, he\u2019s been cooking with grease.<\/p>\n
The undrafted free agent out of Memphis has been a human highlight reel in camp, and similar to a few players on this list, his thin position group allows him the opportunity to really standout.<\/p>\n
Taylor has great measurables, standing at 6\u20194, 214 lbs., which separates him from the likes of Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin III, and Scotty Miller.<\/p>\n
In my opinion, he\u2019s still a longshot to make the roster, but that\u2019s why they play the games. If he continues to shine, he could possibly leapfrog Miller or veteran Robert Woods.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d anticipate him playing the final three quarters after the first team is done.<\/p>\n
Who did I miss? Let us know in the comments section! <\/p>\n