The Pittsburgh Steelers started their post-Ben Roethlisberger era with a solid 32-25 preseason win versus the Seattle Seahawks. The quarterback depth led by rookie Kenny Pickett went 26-37 for four touchdowns and zero interceptions.
After 16 years with “Big Ben” under the center, it seems the Steelers are on the right track to having a good future. Unfortunately, not all the current players will be part of that new era.
Following the preseason opener, some players will need to step up in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars if they want to at least survive another round of roster cuts.
With that said, here are three players who must impress the Steelers' coaching staff in preseason Week 2 so they can continue on the team.
Steelers players who must impress in preseason Week 2
3. RB Mataeo Durant
An undrafted rookie out of Duke, Mataeo Durant is battling to earn his spot on the 53-man roster. With the running back depth chart with Najee Harris, Benny Snell, and Anthony McFarland Jr., the odds are not in his favor.
As a senior for the Blue Devils, Durant rushed for 1,241 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also set a school record for most rushing yards in a single season while being named to the First-Team All-ACC. He was one of the few bright spots of the Duke's team that went 3-9 with the worst record of the entire conference.
Still, Durant has tough competition in Pittsburgh. He battles with two other undrafted rookies in Master Teague and Jaylen Warren.
On the team's preseason opener against the Seahawks, Teague had 31 yards on six carries, while Warren had 34 yards on also six attempts. On the other hand, Durant had only four yards on two carries, the second-lowest on the team.
Based solely on the numbers, Durant was by far the least impressive of all of them. With at least two running backs almost secured on the roster, the rookies need to impress to stay at least another week in Pittsburgh. Unless he stands out in Week 2 of the preseason, there is a high chance Durant is among the first cuts of the team.
2. OT Jordan Tucker
In May, the website The 33rd Team named Jordan Tucker the undrafted rookie with the most chances of making the Steelers' regular-season roster.
With Pittsburgh's offensive line ranked just 30th out of 32 by Pro Football Focus, some changes happened to change that narrative. The team brought Mason Cole and James Daniels to improve the unit, which left Tucker in a tough spot.
The 6-foot-6, 340-pound offensive lineman started 36 games in North Carolina, with 35 as a right tackle in his last three years on the team. Tucker led the Tar Heels to the top three in the ACC in total yards per game during a three-year stretch, according to SteelersNow. It also included a school record of 537.3 yards per game in 2020, the most in the conference and fifth in the entire NCAA.
With the front office deciding to fill other needs in the 2022 NFL Draft, the team needed to address it with the undrafted Tucker. However, based on the depth the team has with the free agency moves, Tucker might be the odd man out. Pittsburgh re-signing Chukwuma Okorafor to a three-year, $29.25 million contract might be the one that makes Tucker's case more complicated.
The Steelers also have other veterans at tackle that can contribute such as Joe Haeg, Trent Scott, and Chaz Green, so an unproven rookie might not be the most prepared option. Because of all that, Tucker might have to battle in practices to earn more snaps in preseason games to show his value, otherwise, he might end up cut earlier than expected.
1. WR Steven Sims
Perhaps one of the most experienced players on the roster bubble, Steven Sims might need to do more if he wants to continue with the organization.
In 2021, the wide receiver appeared in just one game for the Steelers as he mainly stayed with the practice squad. He previously played two seasons in Washington, appearing in 28 total games. He had 61 catches for 575 yards and five touchdowns. Sims also registered 103 rushing yards and one score on the ground.
Although he has significant experience, the veteran is just a third-stringer on the team's first depth chart. Unless he really steps up in the upcoming weeks, Sims might return to the practice squad.
In Week 1, Sims was targeted only twice, catching the ball once for two yards. For comparison, fourth-stringer Tyler Vaughns caught both of his targets for 32 yards. Being outplayed by a wideout behind Simon on the chart could seriously harm his chances of making the roster.
Now, Sims might have to show some improvements in order to get some extra snaps and targets in the future. As roster cut day comes closer, his name should be at best on the bubble, but he still needs to show his presence more.
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