Just like that, the NFL preseason is drawing to a close, but first, the Pittsburgh Steelers will square off with the Carolina Panthers in the final exhibition game of the cycle. Notable players such as T.J. Watt , Cam Heyward and DK Metcalf will once again be in street clothes on the sidelines ; however, the other healthy starters will see some playing time in some form or fashion. Heading into the regular season is the most important thing after all, especially for one of the older teams in the entire league.
With roster cuts days away, this is the final opportunity for a myriad of players to earn a spot on the Steelers' 53-man roster . Let's talk about some players that are worth keeping an eye on during the contest.
Even if it's merely one or two drives, it sounds like we will finally get a look at the Steelers' revamped secondary, headlined by Pro Bowlers Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay. Head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that the communication element was a heavy factor in his decision to trot his new additions out there against the Panthers . Even though they won't be going through a full gameplan install for this matchup versus Carolina's backups, we will get a glimpse of how the puzzle pieces fit together, with most of that depending on Ramsey's alignment in base and sub personnel packages. Although, they'll likely holster any exotic blitzes or creative disguises until the games begin to count in the standings.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren at Friday Night Lights practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium on Aug. 1, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
It's been a relatively quiet summer for Warren, with this being his first in-stadium action of the season and just the amount of excitement surrounding rookie cohort Kaleb Johnson . But following Najee Harris ' departure, he's still the lead back with expectations of a heavier workload. Through two preseason games, the Steelers offense hasn't run the ball very much with the first-team offensive line in the game, and the results looked similar to the padded practices in Latrobe: underwhelming. Even with Aaron Rodgers in town, this is still going to be a run-first attack, particularly on early downs. Going into his second year in Arthur Smith's wide zone-centric system , it would be encouraging to see Warren hit the ground running in his debut.
The ten-year vet was without a home less than two weeks ago but, to his credit, arrived in good shape and immediately got to work on pushing for a roster spot. In last week's outing, Peat looked much more functional kicking inside to left guard. Now 31 years old, his skill set is better suited for the interior even if his experience at tackle is certainly a feather in his cap. Offensive line depth is something of an oxymoron in the NFL because it's something every team covets, yet very few actually possess. Rumors are swirling that another veteran, Dalton Risner , could potentially be making his way to the steel city for a visit. With injuries to others and inconsistent play from the backups, the door is wide open for someone like Peat to extend his playing career.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Brandon Johnson celebrates a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Aug. 16, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
While not the flashiest stat line, Johnson found the end zone last time out, connecting with Mason Rudolph on a goal line scramble drill, plays after drawing a defensive pass interference penalty on Bucs starting cornerback Jamel Dean . With a toe injury sidelining Ben Skowronek for the time being and their seemingly annual offseason quest for another playmaker unsuccessful, there is a path for him sticking around. One thing that he has going for him is size; at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he possesses the frame to function as the X-receiver, unlike the other smaller wideouts on the Steelers roster. It should also be noted that the former undrafted free agent has played a good chunk of snaps on special teams the last couple weeks, even registering a pair of tackles in addition to his contributions through the passing game.
The battle for the punter gig in Pittsburgh has been a back-and-forth duel with both gentlemen putting their best foot forward. At the end of the day, only one can prevail. Both specialists will be given their chance to make one final impression on Thursday night. However, it's not just the Steelers coaching staff that they're looking to impress; they're auditioning for other teams around the league looking for an upgrade at this spot. From the Steelers' perspective, their preferred outcome is that both continue to ball out so that they can recoup a late-round draft pick in return for the loser of the competition.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Seven Steelers to Watch in Preseason Finale vs. Panthers
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