Behind the Steel Curtain
Week 1 of the pre-season is upon us, and although Mike Tomlin didn’t make it official, we can assume that many starters won’t see action in the opener this Saturday in Jacksonville.
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.
Unfortunately, rookie QB Will Howard suffered a broken finger in practice, so his much-anticipated debut will be delayed.
But there will be many others vying for spots on the 53-man roster, or even the practice squad.
Here are a handful of them you should keep an eye on.
Kaleb Johnson, running back
The Steelers third-round pick has looked impressive in camp, and many have speculated he’ll end the season as the team’s leading ball carrier. However, Johnson was listed third on the initial depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and veteran Kenneth Gainwell.
Let’s not read too much into this. The Steelers generally ask their rookies to “earn their stripes,” and Johnson will have his first crack at that on Saturday.
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’ll hope to impress the staff leading into the regular season.
I’d anticipate him to play roughly three to four series, beginning late in first quarter with the second team.
Roman Wilson, wide receiver
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.
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.
Arthur Smith has deployed Wilson on almost of all his snaps with the first-team offense, something he obviously didn’t get last season.
He’s received mixed reviews in camp, but reportedly just put together his best day.
I’d anticipate he starts the game and plays at minimum the entire first half.
Yahya Black, DL, Iowa
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.
Black, a fifth-round selection out of Iowa, has been a bright spot over the past few weeks.
The space eater has shown the versatility to line up at both defensive tackle and end, something I didn’t necessarily have on my bingo card. He’s deflected multiple passes at the line of scrimmage and been a disruptive presence in the rush game.
He’ll have a good chance this preseason to solidify a roster spot, starting this Saturday.
Sebastian Castro, Safety
Castro, an undrafted free agent, is the third former Iowa Hawkeye on this...
