Stock up, stock down for Steelers after concluding 3-0 preseason

After getting out to leads of 27-7, 27-0 and 24-0 in their preseason games, the result actually will matter for the Pittsburgh Steelers the next time they (using Mike Tomlin parlance) “go into the stadium.”

But in the 16 days in between, they’ll cut 37 players, assemble a practice squad, likely make a handful of other roster moves, practice eight times and put together a game plan for their Sept. 10 regular-season opener at home against the San Francisco 49ers.

Here are some needles that moved during a 24-0 win at the Atlanta Falcons in their preseason finale Thursday:

Stock up

1.Copy-and-paste: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Kenny Pickett and the first-team offense operating with surgical precision and Nate Herbig dominating opposing tackles. Each happened during each of the Steelers’ three exhibition games. The starters on offense made it 5-for-5 in regards to touchdown drives, averaging 11.3 yards on their 28 plays, going 4 for 4 on third downs, managing five plays that gained at least 25 yards and earning their quarterback a perfect (158.3) passer rating in his first preseason as a starter.

Herbig, for his part, added another sack to give him 3 1/2 over limited action in three NFL (preseason) games. A fourth-round pick, he has appeared almost unblockable coming off the edge. While the significant caveat exists that he’s done his damage largely against backups and those who will be unemployed by the end of the week, make no mistake that Herbig is an NFL-ready edge defender.

2. Roster flexibility: Whether it was tight end Connor Heyward taking carries as a deep pure tailback, Spencer Anderson continuing to show competence at guard and tackle, Patrick Peterson playing perhaps as many as four positions during two defensive series or inside linebacker Kwon Alexander taking on a coverage responsibility to the far outside receiver, Thursday provided the latest examples of the “position flexibility” Tomlin long hasadmired and that new general manager Omar Khan appeared to emphasize during his first offseason of roster-building.

The versatility trickled down to the likes of Ryan McCollum and Kendrick Green swapping with each other at guard/center, Dylan Cook playing tackle and guard and defensive linemen lining up at myriad spots across from Falcons offensive linemen.

3. The injury room: “No real injury things to speak of — thankfully.”

The eight most important words Tomlin uttered during postgame remarks to media in Atlanta. Tomlin surely would have taken plenty of heat if a roster-worthy player suffered a significant injury — or, worse, a star-level player suffered any injury of any kind. One part comfortable in his own skin, one part defiant, one part adhering to a calculated risk management, Tomlin played virtually everybody. And he played almost all of them for multiple series, too. It worked out not only to the extent that the worst-case outcome of an injury did not materialize but in that the Steelers offensive and defensive units benefited from the cohesion, chemistry and rust-removing reps that playing in the preseason finale can provide.

Stock down

1. True, accurate evaluation: Falcons coach Arthur Smith elected not to play any starters. The problem as it relates to the Steelers is that, like their Aug. 11 victory at Tampa Bay, their first-team players were facing second-teamers. That mutes the stellar results to a point. Would, in particular, the Steelers’ starting unit on offense have been as dominant if they’d faced Falcons defensive regulars? We’ll never know — or, at very least, the Steelers first-team offense’s proficiency cannot be confirmed without reservation until they do it against an opponent’s top players in a regular-season setting.

2. Le’Raven Clark: Perhaps it says something about how well this preseason has gone for the Steelers that a journeyman depth offensive lineman needs to be cited when seeking a player who perhaps hasn’t lived up to expectations. Clark, an eight-year veteran, was signed to a one-year deal in March to serve as a backup swing tackle. But he hasn’t distinguished himself over training camp and the preseason, and it’s apparent he was passed on the depth chart by youngsters Anderson and Cook.

3. Longshot specialists: The odds were never good for Braden Mann, B.T. Potter, Rex Sunahara or Jordan Byrd to make the roster, and their chances have seemed to only get worse.

Mann had a good night in Atlanta, booming punts of 61 and 58 yards in addition to a boot that was fair caught at the 7. But Pressley Harvin III capped off a good summer with a well-executed punt from the 38 that was downed at the 3.

Potter badly missed a 43-yard field goal try, and Byrd (in camp for his return abilities) wasn’t given an opportunity to field a kick or punt. Calvin Austin III again popped returning punts, negating a need to give a look to Byrd, who was a three-time all-conference returner at San Diego State.

Sunahara had no gaffes, but three-year returning Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz didn’t either.

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