The Pittsburgh Steelers will wrap up their preseason schedule on Thursday when they travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers. As it is the final preseason game of the year, things will look very different for the Steelers in terms of the roster. The Steelers have to make final cuts on August 31 so this is the final audition for many of these guys to either make the final 53-man roster, the practice squad or even catch on with another team.
Here are the things to watch this week.
Final showing for Devlin Hodges
Hodges has had a very strong training camp for the Steelers. Does it mean he’s going to make the team? Not a chance. But he’s an easy player to root for and we hope he plays well enough that if the Steelers don’t try to stash him on the practice squad, he can land with another team in need of a backup quarterback.
Wide receivers on the bubble
The Steelers might be without Antonio Brown but there are plenty of talented wide receivers left on this roster. So many, in fact, that Pittsburgh is going to have to release at least a couple who should land with other teams pretty easily. We really want to see what Diontae Spencer, Johnny Holton and Tevin Jones do against the Panthers because there’s a chance only one of them makes the final roster.
Impact of coaching
One of the things that can make or break a young player when it comes to making a team is whether they are coachable. The Steelers’ coaches have given these young guys a lot to remember and this is their final exam to see if they pass. Keep a close eye on things like coverage assignments, blocking schemes and receiver routes. This is what coaches want to see before the tough decisions are made.
Last look at the kicking game
We remain cautiously optimistic kicker Chris Boswell has returned to his 2017 form. But until we see Boswell kick in a regular-season game, we can’t know for sure. But in a game where very few starters will play, it should give the Steelers a solid opportunity for some field goals.
