The Steelers packed their bags on Sunday and put Saint Vincent College in the rearview mirror. During the three-week training camp, several key position battles began to come into focus, including QB2, WR3 and CB3. While there\u2019s still time for things to change with two preseason games remaining,\u00a0 let\u2019s take a look at where the depth chart stands as the Steelers leave Latrobe.<\/p>\n
QB2: Mason Rudolph leads Will Howard<\/p>\n
Howard may have taken second-team reps during OTAs, but the competition flipped when the Steelers reported to Latrobe. Sitting firmly in the backup spot, Rudolph got the start in the preseason opener and played well. The ball never touched the ground, as he completed 10 of 11 passes (on the lone incompletion, Germie Bernard caught the pass but couldn\u2019t get his second foot down in the end zone).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Howard\u2019s preseason debut was a mixed bag. He orchestrated a successful two-minute drill, but also made a poor decision to put the ball into harm\u2019s way on a third down. The final two preseason games will be important for Howard if he\u2019s going to prove to the coaching staff that he can be Rodgers\u2019 backup this season. The possibility of keeping four quarterbacks seems to be gaining momentum.<\/p>\n
RB3: Kaleb Johnson falling behind<\/p>\n
Johnson carried the ball just two times for three yards against the Packers. Truthfully, the only time I really noticed him he was getting chewed out on the sideline by special teams coach Danny Crossman. Cutting a third-round pick one year after he\u2019s drafted would be a tough look for the Steelers, but it sure seems to be trending that direction based on the way the carries have been split in practices and in the first preseason game.<\/p>\n
As for the others, it could come down to what the Steelers want from this spot on the depth chart. Lew Nichols is pretty clearly the better running back, showing good vision and burst in the preseason game. Travis Homer, meanwhile, struggled to pick up a blitz that led to a sack and didn\u2019t have as much juice as a ball carrier. Considering the third RB on the depth chart mostly plays special teams, and Homer is an ace in this phase (currently, he serves as the personal protector on the punt team, for example), he has the edge.<\/p>\n
What we learned from Drew Allar’s stellar preseason performance<\/p>\n
Mike DeFabo<\/p>\n
WR3: Roman Wilson leads Germie Bernard<\/p>\n
When DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. were healthy, Wilson got the overwhelming majority of the WR3 snaps in 11 personnel. He\u2019s made the most of the opportunity. Rodgers has praised him on numerous occasions. And it\u2019s more than just lip service, as Wilson put together a strong couple weeks in Latrobe. That said, he had a quiet preseason game on Thursday. For a player who has looked good in practice settings before, you\u2019d still like to see him show in games what we\u2019ve been seeing at practice.<\/p>\n
While Bernard appears to be pretty clearly behind Wilson on the depth chart, the rookie had a strong preseason debut. His run-after-catch ability, in particular, stood out. He spun out of a couple tackles and ran through others. Both young players should get time with the first-team offense during the season, but right now Wilson has a pretty clear edge based on how the team has split reps during camp.<\/p>\n
RG: Spencer Anderson leads Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker far behind<\/p>\n
What appeared to be a three-man competition entering training camp is down to just two contenders: Anderson and Hoffman. While Dunker is already a mauling run blocker, he still has work to do in pass protection and has sometimes struggled during one-on-one reps. During the final days of camp, the Steelers tinkered with some different combinations up front, and Hoffman got some elevated reps with the first-team offense. Still, Anderson remains in pole position.<\/p>\n
Starting RT: Dylan Cook leads Max Iheanachor<\/p>\n