Steelers players to watch Bills
Steelers players to watch Bills
We’ve gone from an exciting start to training camp to the preseason finale upon us in the blink of an eye.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hit the road Thursday night to Buffalo to take on the Bills at the new Highmark Stadium in what marks the preseason finale for both teams, and the final attempt at earning a roster spot for a number of players in the Black and Gold.
Though many of the big names are unlikely to play under first-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, the young players on the roster have a big opportunity in front of them once again. After a sloppy showing in the Week 2 loss to the New York Jets, the Steelers have a chance to turn things around.
Young quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar will lead the way once again, but there a number of young players, and even some veterans that are battling it out for a roster spot that are worth keeping an eye on Thursday night.
Below are my five players to watch against the Bills.
1. MAX IHEANACHOR, RT
After missing the first two preseason games due to a neck/shoulder injury suffered in training camp, it appears that rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor has a real chance to play against the Bills. That has to be music to the Steelers’ ears, getting a look at the prized first-rounder in a game setting.
His debut comes at a great time for the Steelers after Pittsburgh’s offensive line — particularly the backups — struggled against the Jets. Broderick Jones failed his latest test at right tackle, and Dylan Cook hasn’t looked all that good in the preseason, either. The door is slightly ajar for Iheanachor — who looked very good in training camp prior to the injury — to bust through and claim the starting right tackle position.
He showed good hands and great athleticism in training camp when he was healthy, and reports indicate he’s looked good in practices on the South Side since he returned to full action. Hopefully he gets plenty of snaps Thursday night and plays well.
2. ESEZI OTOMEWO, DL
A sound free agent re-signing this offseason, Esezi Otomewo was viewed as solid depth in the trenches in the buildup to the 2026 season, especially after he played nearly 200 snaps last season. But the Steelers added to the position group in the offseason, drafting Gabriel Rubio in the sixth round and signing Dean Lowry for veteran depth and experience.
That’s led to a quiet summer for Otomewo. He’s played 48 snaps in the preseason to date, but doesn’t have a pressure or a run stop, and really doesn’t have much of anything to show. He can play up and down the line of scrimmage and is currently listed on the depth chart as the third nose tackle behind Yahya Black and Sebastian Joseph-Day, so the versatility is key for him.
He has to show something against Buffalo, though, or he risks being cut and potentially landing on the practice squad. That would be a tough blow for a guy that played well down the stretch last season and earned praise from teammates like Cameron Heyward. With a new coaching staff, though, last season doesn’t matter.
Otomewo needs to make an impact against Buffalo.
3. MAX HURLEMAN & KADEN WETJEN, WR/KR/PR
I’m cheating here a bit listing both Max Hurleman and rookie Kaden Wetjen, but they’re similar players and are seemingly battling for the same role of WR6 and the Steelers’ primary kick and punt returner. Wetjen theoretically has the edge as a fourth-round pick in April, but he hasn’t impressed all that much.
Against the Jets, Wetjen fumbled on a punt return but was fortunate the ball went out of bounds before an opponent could gain possession. He also bobbled a punt deep in his own end and had a questionable decision bringing one kickoff out of the end zone and getting tackled inside his 20-yard line. He’s also had some issues as a receiver, with McCarthy saying he needs to clean up the mental mistakes.
Hurleman, on the other hand, has been solid. He was very good against Green Bay as a receiver, and then had some good moments against the Jets in the return game. He has a tough hill to climb, with Wetjen a fourth-rounder and the Steelers wanting to make sure they don’t miss on a premium pick. But the production has to outweigh the draft capital at some point.
That’s what Hurleman is hoping for. Wetjen needs to show up in a positive way Thursday night, or the pressure from Hurleman might be too much to ignore.
4. DONEIKO SLAUGHTER, CB
I highlighted Slaughter as a player to watch prior to the preseason opener against the Packers, and I haven’t been able to take my eyes off him since. He had some ups and downs against the Packers, but the ups were very intriguing in the slot. He’s a physical defender, packs a punch as a tackler, and has intriguing size and versatility.
He didn’t do much of anything against the Jets that truly stood out, but he didn’t hurt himself either. With the Joey Porter Jr. saga dragging on and Brandin Echols still dealing with an ankle injury, the door might be slightly ajar for a young cornerback to possibly grab a roster spot, or be the first elevation from the practice squad.
Slaughter might be that guy. McCarthy called him a sleeper during training camp, and he’s consistently shown up on the field defensively. Keep an eye on him.
5. LEW NICHOLS, RB
McCarthy highlighted what he wants in his third running back on his first 53-man roster in Pittsburgh. They have to be able to play special teams, and they have to be able to handle a workload as a runner, pass catcher and blocker. That bodes well for Lew Nichols, even if his preseason has been relatively quiet.
He had a nice performance against the Packers, but was quiet against the Jets. However, that should put him in line for a sizable workload against the Bills, something McCarthy hinted at for all running backs after the loss to the Jets.
Nichols was the darling of training camp and the preseason last year, and he’s been in the mix all summer this time around. He can play on special teams, is a solid runner and can hold his own in pass protection. But he needs to show the new coaching staff that well-rounded game inside a stadium, or the RB3 job could go to Travis Homer by default.