10 Steelers Fighting for a Job vs. Panthers
It all comes to one final game before the Pittsburgh Steelers trim their roster to 53 and send 27 players to the free agent market.
Three games and a training camp of film have left the Steelers with major business decisions to make over the next four days. Final roster cuts will happen on Tues. Aug. 31, which means Pittsburgh's game in Carolina is a do-or-die showing for many on this team.
Anyone who plays against the Panthers is fighting for a job in some capacity, but these 10 (actually 11) have a real chance to land themselves on the Steelers full-time or send them back to the open market, waiting for a phone call.
Let's start with the quarterback.
Josh Dobbs
Dwayne Haskins will get the start, but Josh Dobbs isn't out of Pittsburgh yet. He's come back to win a third quarterback job before and there's nothing that says he can't do it again.
Dobbs will probably play the entire second half, which is plenty of time to show this team he's worthy of being a piece to their puzzle. He has the athleticism and the experience in Pittsburgh to keep his hopes alive.
A strong showing in Carolina and it'll be a much tighter battle than anticipated.
Benny Snell Jr. and Jaylen Samuels
After spending most of the summer dealing with an injury, Benny Snell Jr. will step on the field for the first time this preseason.
This wouldn't be an issue if the rest of the running back room didn't take off. Kalen Ballage has all but secured his spot and Anthony McFarland is the No. 2, leaving Snell and Jaylen Samuels to fight for the final spot.
Samuels has the special teams ability, but Snell has the potential. This one is far from decided, and even if Snell has the upper hand heading into the game, Samuels can certainly run his way into the regular season.
Kevin Rader
Another summer, another tight end competition between Kevin Rader and Zach Gentry.
Gentry is the favorite before the game, but things change. The former quarterback has improved this training camp, that's for certain. Rader has always had more skill, though. Especially on special teams.
There were moments last season you thought Rader was about to make his way onto the active roster full-time. At some point, he might, and it could be this weekend.
Joe Haeg
'The General,' which I won't lie, I have no idea where that nickname came from, has been absolutely terrible this summer. Not at any moment has he played a rep quality enough to trust him as a left tackle with Ben Roethlisberger on the field.
The Steelers have kept him around because of his veteran presence. His experience means something, but it doesn't mean enough to guarantee him a job.
One more bad game for Joe Haeg and his time in Pittsburgh will end before it started.
Matthew Sexton, Cody White, Anthony Johnson
All the Stefan Logan jokes aside - if there's anyone else but myself making them - Matthew Sexton has a real opportunity to make this roster over Ray-Ray McCloud. It's going to take one insane performance in Carolina, but it's doable.
The flashy wideout/punt returner has shown his 4.4 speed throughout the summer and carries pretty much all the return capabilities as McCloud.
Where he suffers is being less of a target on offense than his opponents. You can toss Cody White and Anthony Johnson in this mix as well. All three, White, Johnson and McCloud, are better receivers than Sexton.
So, if he's going to make the team, it's going to come on offense - or a return for a touchdown on special teams.
Ulysees Gilbert III
It was a little surprising Ulysees Gilbert didn't get cut over Calvin Bundage. The third-year linebacker hasn't caught on this summer despite plenty of opportunities.
Gilbert came into training camp working with the first team and even starting in the Hall of Fame Game. Since then, he's fallen to a point where he didn't touch the field against the Detroit Lions.
This last preseason game is all but do-or-die for Gilbert. Any slip up, and he's on his way to waivers.
Jamir Jones
Jamir Jones has been the most impressive backup defender on the Steelers this preseason. He's found the quarterback in every game this summer and is making players like Najee Harris and Chukwuma Okorafor pay during one-on-one drills at practice.
Cassius Marsh is the man he'll need to beat out, which is a more difficult task than you'd think. For every good thing Jones has done, Marsh has followed.
He's played well as the primary backup to Melvin Ingram and Alex Highsmith throughout camp and has had moments in games where you think he could actually contribute this season.
Either one of these two making the team will be a positive move for the Steelers' defense. Jones is the underdog right now, but that could change.
Mark Gilbert
After Antoine Brooks Jr. was sent to the injured reserve list, the Steelers are looking for a cornerback. Mark Gilbert was likely on the outside looking in before Brooks' release, but now, he has a real opportunity to make this team.
Gilbert doesn't possess the inside capabilities the Steelers wanted Brooks to utilize, but he's a body with potential. Behind James Pierre and Joe Haden, he'll work alongside Justin Layne to provide depth.
Gilbert needs to put on a pretty solid showing against the Panthers to confirm his place on this team. He should play a good chunk of the game opposite of Layne on the outside.
Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
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