After three weeks of camp at Saint Vincent College, the Pittsburgh Steelers left Latrobe with a clearer picture of where a few depth-chart battles stand. The QB2, WR3 and CB3 competitions all came into focus during training camp, even if none of them appears fully settled yet.
Mason Rudolph gave the quarterback race an early marker in the preseason opener by completing 10 of 11 passes. Will Howard, meanwhile, had a mixed debut, which keeps that battle from being decided just yet. The Steelers have also left open the possibility of keeping four quarterbacks, so the room remains fluid as the team moves deeper into the preseason.
Receiver and cornerback battles remain open
The quarterback situation has drawn the most attention, but it has not been the only competition worth watching. The Steelers were also evaluating WR3 and CB3 during camp, and those spots still look like they could go down to the final preseason games.
On Thursday, Germie Bernard made his preseason debut, giving the Steelers another player to evaluate as they sort out the receiver mix. The club has not locked in every role yet, and that is especially true when it comes to players trying to earn limited roster spots.
With the Steelers now out of Saint Vincent College after three weeks, the next stretch of NFL preseason games will matter for the players trying to separate themselves. Rudolph's efficient showing gave him a strong start in the quarterback competition, but Howard still has time to respond. The same is true for the receiver and cornerback battles, where the final decisions may not be made until the end of August.
For now, the biggest takeaway is simple: the Steelers are closer to answers than they were at the start of camp, but the roster is still not finished taking shape.
