NFL teams will trim five more players from their rosters to get to 80 players by 4 p.m. Tuesday and will all play their final preseason games later this week.
Then, the really interesting part of the preseason process begins as teams must cut their rosters to 53 players by 4 p.m. Aug. 31.
That means the opportunities to impress or make a case for yourself to be on the opening day roster are getting more limited.
For the Steelers, who are off to a 3-0 start in this preseason largely because of their overall depth, the final cut is likely to include some names that are familiar to fans. There are a number of veterans who could be looking for work in just over a week.
After three preseason games, including Saturday night's 26-20 win over the Lions in which the presumed starters saw plenty of playing time, here's how things are shaping up:
Quarterbacks (3): Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins -- No real surprises here. Haskins opened training camp not guaranteed of a roster spot. He's secured that now. But Rudolph has had a good preseason and remains the No. 2 behind Roethlisberger. The Steelers have three quarterbacks with NFL starting experience, which isn't a bad thing.
Running backs (4): Najee Harris, Derek Watt (FB), Kalen Ballage, Anthony McFarland -- Two guys who have been on this roster the past couple of years don't make it in Jaylen Samuels and Benny Snell. Snell was a late scratch from Saturday's game and has now missed the past two with an injury. He'll get a big opportunity later this week against the Panthers. There's a lot riding on that one for him. Samuels just isn't special enough to keep around. Watching him run versus watching Ballage do so shows everything Samuels can't do. There's little burst and he seldom falls forward. The Steelers could keep five players here, but the likely result is Snell or Samuels goes to the practice squad along with fullback Trey Edmunds, who is a good special teams player. They can then be activated to the 55-man roster on game days.
Wide receiver (5): Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Mathew Sexton -- The Steelers likely stash a couple of receivers on the practice squad, but Sexton has now hit two 30-plus-yard punt returns in this preseason in just three chances. Ray-Ray McCloud isn't dynamic enough to stick around over that.
Tight end (3): Eric Ebron, Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry -- It still wouldn't surprise me to see a veteran who is primarily a blocker signed here once other team's cuts are scanned, but the coaching staff seems to like Gentry more than Kevin Rader. Mike Tomlin did say Gentry is now 280 pounds. And his blocking has gotten better. Ebron and Freiermuth are a really nice 1-2 punch as receivers -- in whichever order you want to put them.
Offensive line (9): Chuks Okorafor, Kevin Dotson, Kendrick Green, Trai Turner, Zach Banner, B.J. Finney, Dan Moore, J.C. Hassenauer, Chaz Green -- Green is the surprise here, but he makes it as the No. 4 offensive tackle behind rookie Dan Moore, who looks like he has a future as a long-term starter down the road. The Steelers have a good reason to not keep Joe Haeg around, as pointed out in last week's Friday Insider. And Rashaad Coward is behind Finney as the top backup interior offensive lineman, but can head to the practice squad. I'd keep John LeGlue there on the practice squad, as well, since he can play all five spots on the line.
Defensive line (7): Cam Heyward, Tyson Alualu, Stephon Tuitt, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Carlos Davis, Isaiah Buggs, Henry Mondeaux -- Once again Chris Wormley doesn't make my final 53. I just don't see anything truly special with the veteran. But I'm keeping seven guys here because Alualu is now 34 and I have some concerns about Tuitt being a full-time player early in the season as he works back from his family's offseason tragedy. Davis and Buggs have differing skillsets, but both do some things well enough to want to keep them. And Mondeaux and Davis have both been used on special teams, though Mondeaux is better at it. He blew people up Saturday night.
Outside linebackers (4): T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Melvin Ingram, Jamir Jones -- Another tough cut as neither Quincy Roche or Cassius Marsh make it. And both have been good in this camp and preseason. But Jones has been better. This is a good group, perhaps better than it was last year at this time. Highsmith has been one of the stars of camp.
Inside linebackers (5): Devin Bush, Joe Schobert, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen, Buddy Johnson -- The top three are givens and Johnson makes it on scholarship, though he could see some special teams work. Allen earns this spot as a special teams player. He's also shown that he can be counted on in coverage at inside linebacker.
Cornerback (6): Joe Haden, Cam Sutton, James Pierre, Justin Layne, Antoine Brooks, Arthur Maulet -- With Brooks missing the past two games, his chance of winning the nickel corner spot is all but gone. But Maulet also suffered an ankle injury Saturday night and did not return. Both should be back Friday against the Panthers and both should make the roster. But for now, the nickel defense will be Sutton moving inside and Pierre coming in to play on the outside. That will certainly be subject to change as the season goes on.
Safeties (4): Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Miles Killebrew, Tre Norwood -- This is pretty straight-forward, though it wouldn't be a shock to see Norwood start to get some time at nickel corner soon. He's settled in at free safety but has the capability to bump down inside.
Specialists (3): Chris Boswell, Pressley Harvin, Kameron Canaday -- The Steelers have given Christian Kuntz a legitimate opportunity to beat out Canaday as the long snapper and the competition is closer than many might think. But the $200,000 they would save against the salary cap isn't enough to move on from Canaday. Harvin has shown he can hold for Boswell. Jordan Berry has had a good camp and could bring a late-round draft pick from a team looking for a veteran punter.
