**How many starters will the Steelers play in the preseason against the Buccaneers?**
When the Steelers visited the Jaguars, they rested a large number of starters, but what about the second preseason game? QB Aaron Rodgers is the biggest name, but HC Mike Tomlin has already hinted he might not play at all. Outside of the offensive line, though, nearly the whole offense rested, as did much of the defense.
Since the shift to a 17-game season, the Steelers have used the second preseason game as the tune-up for the regular season. In other words, whatever starters don’t play this week are also not going to play the week after. Which means they won’t have any in-game work before the regular season begins, the value of which has mixed reviews.
The two most notable players on offense besides the offensive line in the Steelers’ first preseason game who did play were WR Roman Wilson and TE Darnell Washington. But will we see WR DK Metcalf at any point in August, or TE Jonnu Smith, or Pat Freiermuth? We don’t even know if RB Jaylen Warren will play, and they need to get the run game going.
Defensively, I’m sure we’re not going to see T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith is injured, and Cameron Heyward isn’t even practicing. The Steelers sat Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Joey Porter Jr., Patrick Queen, and others, however. Payton Wilson played with the starters, as did DeShon Elliott.
Tomlin talks a lot about the work the Steelers do now to prepare themselves for the regular season, but what about preseason games? Obviously, veterans of great experience need less preparation, but the Bengals have Joe Burrow playing.
Then again, outside of the Mitch Trubisky fiasco to start the 2022 season, the Steelers haven’t had the slow starts that have spurred the Bengals into playing their starters. Pittsburgh establishes its physicality in practice, with full-contact live tackling drills. Today, they will have a scrimmage with another team. We should also hear from Tomlin, who will no doubt tell us who is sitting and who is playing.
_The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein._
_Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is_ [_the quarterback question_](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/04/schrager-thinkhttps:/steelersdepot.com/2025/06/aaron-rodgers-confirms-he-plans-to-retire-after-2025-nfl-season/)_. While they made a lot of moves, they have to put the pieces together. The_ [_2025 NFL Draft class_](https://www.steelers.com/draft/) _could play a big role, but veteran additions will be paramount._
_But we still have a long training camp ahead for Steelers football. We survived the Aaron Rodgers situation and moved on to other things–other dramas sometimes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go._