The Steelers will play host to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday evening as they get ready for their first preseason game. Training camp has been ongoing for weeks, but it is time for the live pads to finally pop. With that, it brings new opportunities to see players in a live game setting rather than simply on a practice field. It is easy to name camp winners, but who translates that onto the live field?
That will be partially answered starting Saturday evening. So, who are some of those players to watch closely to see how they do in the new setting? Steelers Now breaks down just five of the key players to watch on Saturday as the Steelers take the field at Acrisure Stadium.
George Pickens
If there has been someone to label as ‘the star’ from training camp thus far, George Pickens would be that guy. He has dazzled day in and day out by doing a number of different things. Pickens has won in contested catch situations, over the middle of the field, from different alignments, and at all three levels of the field. The diversity of ways in which he has won is what makes Pickens that much more exciting.
However, how does that translate to the live game action? It is always fun to see just how well practice stars translate to in-game scenarios, especially the rookies. For Pickens, there will be a new level of physicality and a bigger stage he will have to conquer. If he responds the way he has in training camp, Pickens’ growing stardom will only continue to shoot towards the moon.
There can be a lot of unrealistic expectations put on a camp star like Pickens, and it is important to keep those expectations realistic. But Saturday’s game will go a long to determine just how ready Pickens may be in a live setting right out of the gate.
Kenny Pickett
Kenny Pickett is another Steelers player that is just a natural guy that fans need to watch out for on Saturday. In his first week of training camp, Pickett was bad, but in the past two weeks, he has picked it up to become an ascending player. That is the type of growth the Steelers want to see from their first-round pick at quarterback.
Still, the Steelers have not seen him in a live pocket yet. When one of his main concerns coming out of Pitt was the fact that he had some shoddy pocket management skills, this will be a big test for Pickett. Chances are that he struggles in his first action and showcases the good and bad of his game at this point. Rookie quarterbacks need a grace period to learn things, and the expectation should be that Pickett improves over the preseason.
The bigger story will be if Pickett plays at a high level on Saturday. It will continue that ascent from practice into a live setting and be a positive sign for Mike Tomlin and his staff.
Jaylen Warren
If Pickens was not the star of training camp, Jaylen Warren would be the guy that would be plastered all over the billboards. Yes, the undrafted free agent has been that good at training camp. He is built with a stocky, stout frame that allows him to pop with his physicality. The most impressive thing is that Warren has been great as a pure runner, receiver, and pass protector all in one.
So, how will that translate to live games? Will Warren rise or fade? That will determine Warren’s true chances of making the roster. If he can play like he did all throughout training camp in a live scenario, Warren is going to have a chance to crack this roster. Even more so, he will have an opportunity to showcase his special teams aptitude. That will be critical to his chances of making the roster.
Devin Bush
Bush’s entry here is more about what he has not shown in training camp. The flash for him has not been there just yet. However, some players simply rise up in a game scenario. However, in the first live contact game, this will be about Bush showing confidence in his knee and himself or a lack thereof. The Steelers need to see something from Bush this season in order for his career to turn around.
While that has not forecasted itself in practice just yet, maybe an in-game scenario will change the fortunes for Bush as he looks to make a stamp on the Steelers team.
Damontae Kazee
This is an underrated one, but Damontae Kazee’s training camp has been one of physicality and flash. With his ball skills and some hard hits, Kazee has put together a strong camp battling through a hand injury. His versatility to play around multiple spots makes him the ultimate wild card for the Steelers heading into the season.
Perhaps on Saturday, the role that Kazee may play will be shone through a bit more than it has been in practice. Besides that, he has an exciting skillset that has popped up before in-game scenarios. The Steelers will likely hope that shows itself through this season as well.