5 things to watch in Steelers’ preseason finale vs. Panthers

Jamir Jones, Quincy Roche, Cody White, Rashaad Coward, Mark Gilbert.

They are a handful of players who have flashed during this Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. They also are five players who only have one last chance to impress.

The Steelers’ preseason finale is 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Carolina Panthers. They’ll likely practice at least twice after the game and before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline for the final roster cut. But let’s face it, coaches probably will have made their final decisions on based on how the fringe roster players perform on the Bank of America Stadium grass.

Young edge rushers Jones and Roche could be competing against each other for one spot, and White is aiming to nab the No. 5 or 6 wide receiver job. Coward is hoping to stick as a backup offensive lineman, while rookie cornerback Gilbert is making a desperate final attempt to impress.

Here’s a handful of higher-profile things to watch Friday:

1. Dwayne’s World

This is an easy headliner. The former star college quarterback and first-round pick who has become a fan favorite being handed the keys to the offense for the majority of a game.

It’s only the preseason, but this potentially is one of the most important starts Dwayne Haskins ever has made. Some believe he still has the chance to unseat Mason Rudolph as the Steelers’ No. 2 in 2021. But even if that’s not the case (Rudolph won’t play Friday), a strong performance against the Panthers’ starting defense could propel Haskins’ future prospects with the Steelers in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.

Also, don’t forget about Josh Dobbs. This isn’t the first time it has appeared like a foregone conclusion he was a mere fourth-stringer. Can Dobbs, like he did in 2018, shockingly make the roster? With covid still a concern, the Steelers also might keep Dobbs on their practice squad.

Dwayne Haskins gets his chance to start in preseason finale. Benny Snell finally will take the field, and Tre Norwood will get a chance to play nickel corner.https://t.co/BbdIQkkHX0

— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) August 25, 2021

2. Line dancing

The totally remade offensive line has had sparse time to practice together. It could go into the Sept. 12 opener having played just two series together in games if, as expected, at least one of the starters sits in Carolina. That could be veteran right guard Trai Turner or right tackle Zach Banner (still recovering from ACL surgery).

Friday will be the last shot for rookie center Kendrick Green to get game reps before the regular season. Same for left guard Kevin Dotson (four career starts) and left tackle Chuks Okorafor (zero career starts at left tackle).

And don’t forget fourth-round pick Dan Moore Jr., who could lock up the top swing tackle gig, and, perhaps, even push for a starting job.

Since his first few weeks of on-field work after being drafted by the #Steelers, Kendrick Green literally has gotten leaner and meaner. https://t.co/aCT2k9oKRL

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) August 25, 2021

3. Nickel for your thoughts

The one true position battle on offense or defense is the nickel, where the Steelers have auditioned five candidates through five weeks of training camp. On Friday, rookie Tre Norwood will start there after repping at free safety through most of camp. That the Steelers have decided to move a rookie seventh-round pick encapsulates the desperation regarding the position.

Arthur Maulet (ankle) probably won’t play, and Antoine Brooks was cut. So, if the Norwood experiment doesn’t go well against the Panthers, the Steelers likely will fall back on moving Cameron Sutton inside while James Pierre (or Justin Layne) takes over outside in the nickel package.

Forget Plan B when it comes to replacing Mike Hilton.
The Steelers are on to Plan E.

Tre Norwood the 5th man to audition to serve as Steelers nickel DB, will do so in Friday's game:https://t.co/AC6snxIkEr

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 25, 2021

4. In a rush

Najee Harris has shown enough — and his importance to the Steelers is so great — that coach Mike Tomlin broke from his usual policy and is sitting a rookie from a preseason game. But the race for the No. 2 (and pecking order for Nos. 3-4) is far from settled at running back.

Tomlin said Benny Snell will see plenty of work Friday. Free-agent signing Kalen Ballage has outperformed Snell in camp. While Anthony McFarland Jr. has assured himself a niche in the offense, Jaylen Samuels’ tenure with the Steelers seems on life support. Trey Edmunds has repped at fullback, but is that and special-teams ability enough to earn him a roster spot? Tony Brooks-James is a longshot, albeit one with speed and playmaking ability.

It will be interesting to see how the running back depth chart plays out.

https://t.co/KdGvWj3QHi

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 18, 2021

5. Happy returns?

Ray-Ray McCloud was such a noticeable upgrade as a return man last season that it seems inconceivable he would get cut. But Mathew Sexton has returns of 47 and 36 yards among his three returned punts this preseason, and McCloud has had an uneven camp offensively.

It’s a longshot Sexton makes the 53-man roster, but he could land on the practice squad. And at very least, the threat he provides can be fun for fans to watch Friday.

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