5 things to watch for in Steelers' preseason opener at Buccaneers

Since free agency and the draft constructed the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers roster, the team has convened (unofficially) 24 times for practices or practice-like organized team activities. This doesn’t include rookie minicamp, morning walkthroughs or other, less formal work.

Friday, at last, the 91st edition of the Steelers takes the field for a game.

And although the exhibition matchup doesn’t count, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything for fans to watch for after the 7 p.m. kickoff at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

1. Welcome to the NFL

Aside from the occasional promotional summer photo shoot, the preseason opener marks the first time rookies get to don an NFL uniform. This year’s rookie class has drawn rave reviews from the time the draft ended and throughout summer workouts and training camp.

With the unfortunate exception of Cory Trice (ACL tear), first-rounder Broderick Jones, second-round picks Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton, third-round pick Darnell Washington, fourth-rounder Nick Herbig and seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson each have shown flashes of being more than worthy of their draft slots. They all have shown potential to be long-term pieces of the Steelers’ future.

But all involved acknowledge a difference between intra-squad practices at Saint Vincent College and real games against NFL competition. While an ankle injury might prevent Porter from playing, it will be interesting to see how Jones, Benton, Washington, Herbig, Anderson and seven undrafted rookies perform in their first shots.

2. Second time around the track

At this point last season, Kenny Pickett was a third-string quarterback relegated to playing only the second half of the preseason opener. Of course, less than eight weeks later he was the Steelers’ starter — the hope is, a gig he’ll hold for a decade or so. But 2023 forever will be the first time Pickett enters a season as the QB1.

Pickett’s strengths are well-established as a leader and a steward of the offense and the huddle, and he’s had by all accounts a solid camp with his throws. Still, with so much of the Steelers’ season riding on his right arm, plenty of attention will be paid to Pickett’s performance against the Bucs.

A bonus tidbit to watch for: Balls thrown by Pickett seem to have a greater velocity than they did last year. Will that be apparent during a game?

3. Makeover in the middle

If it’s hyperbole to say the turnover to the Steelers inside linebackers corps was perhaps the most significant offseason revamp of a position room in franchise history, it’s not too much of one. The three who played the most at the position in 2022 were jettisoned, leaving all of 44 ILB snaps for the Steelers from last season returning. Those came from Mark Robinson, who joins practice-squad holdover Chapelle Russell as the only Steelers inside linebackers from last season among the seven on the 2023 roster.

Friday will provide some clues at how the new “division of labor” will shake out. Cole Holcomb was paid enough ($18 million over three years) to be the No. 1 at the position. But will that play out? And if so, will veteran Elandon Roberts most often be his sidekick? How much will Robinson play? In the 12 days since Kwon Alexander has been signed, he has shown he might be in the running to start. Is converted safety Tanner Muse in line to play in some passing-situation subpackages? Does Bethel Park’s Nick Kwiatkoski have a role in the defense?

4. Good things come in varied packages

For the inside linebackers, maybe as many as four or five could see some weekly action, depending on the package or game plan/opponent. Sometimes, though, there might be only one ILB (or none?) on the field, with the Steelers preferring to use, say, extra defensive backs.

That can be applied to several other position groups, as the Steelers have been part of the trend of increased specialization with their personnel groupings. On defense, there’s the base 3-4, nickel, dime, big nickel and goal-line groupings — at least. And that doesn’t necessarily account for deploying players at spots that don’t adhere to the position listed next to their names on the roster (i.e., defensive tackles lining up on the edge, or edge defenders lining up in the middle of the defense).

The same goes for offense. Examples include a grouping featuring four tight ends unveiled at Saint Vincent, or the “pony” package of two running backs.

5. Big-man TD?

No new package has got the level of attention than the usage of former starting center Kendrick Green at a “skill-position.” After five straight practices in which the 315-pound Green got heavy (no pun intended) looks at tight end, H-back or fullback, it’s clear the Steelers brain trust is giving this idea serious consideration.

We’ll see if the concept makes it all the way to the regular-season opener. But it seems inevitable, at least, that Green will play some “eligible” offense in Tampa. And if he gets to touch the ball, it should be fun to watch.

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