The Steelers’ preseason ended with a 28-27 loss to the Bills, but the score was only part of the story. Pittsburgh raced out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter before Buffalo quarterback Shane Buechele pushed a game-winning touchdown drive to finish it off. More important for the Steelers, though, was what happened in the final tune-up for players fighting to survive the cut to 53 by Sunday.
Some players helped themselves. Others left with a lot more to worry about.
Germie Bernard made his one catch count. After going without a reception on his lone target last week, the rookie wideout took a screen pass, made a move on former first-round pick Maxwell Hairston, and finished it off with a first-quarter touchdown. Bernard has been dangerous after the catch all preseason, and he looks like someone who could have a role with the starters at some point in his rookie year.
Kaden Wetjen looked headed for the “stock down” pile before flipping the script in a big way. The rookie fourth-round pick had gone backward on two punt returns in the first half and had been struggling for most of the preseason, but then he broke loose for a 45-yard punt return touchdown - the play of the preseason. That return all but locks him into a roster spot as the Steelers’ primary return man.
Max Iheanachor’s NFL debut came with both rough patches and a clear sign of what he can do. The Steelers’ 2026 first-round pick had missed time with a shoulder/neck injury, and on his first series he was beaten quickly and allowed a sack.
He was later hit with a questionable holding call. But the second half showed why the team is excited about him: he delivered a strong downfield block to spring rookie running back Eli Heidenreich for a touchdown.
Even with limited reps, Iheanachor flashed enough promise to suggest he could become a starter sooner rather than later, especially with the Steelers’ starting line struggling this preseason.
Will Howard had a night that only deepened the concern around him. He threw his third interception of the preseason on a play that appeared to be a miscommunication with tight end Lake McRee, and his ball security issues are likely to cost him the backup job.
The pocket presence was shaky, too. Too often, Howard either failed to climb the pocket and took the sack or held the ball too long while trying to extend the play and still got taken down.
He did throw two early touchdowns, but those came after Buffalo handed Pittsburgh favorable field position with a muffed punt and a shanked punt. Howard’s path with the Steelers now appears tied to whether the team keeps four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Kaleb Johnson didn’t help his case either. After leading the team in carries last week, he touched the ball just five times and gained 11 yards in this game.
With Lew Nichols and Eli Heidenreich both turning in solid performances, Johnson’s chance to make the roster looks increasingly shaky. The 2025 third-round pick is now in danger of being cut when rosters are finalized by Sunday at 6 p.m.
Dylan Cook’s usage also raised eyebrows. He started at left tackle even though he had been slated to open the season at right tackle, while Broderick Jones got the start on the right side.
Cook did move over and see some work at right tackle, and he stayed in through the second half, but the alignment suggests the Steelers are at least weighing the possibility of going a different direction. After another preseason of uneven play and with Iheanachor showing well in his debut, Cook may be on borrowed time as a starter.
In Other News...
DK Metcalf Just Created An Awkward Steelers Problem Off The Field
DK Metcalf arrived in Pittsburgh in March with the kind of profile that was supposed to give the Steelers a true difference-maker on the outside, and the four-year extension that came with the trade only deepened the sense that the team was investing in him for the long haul. On the field, the move was easy to understand. Off it, Metcalf has already created a different kind of conversation around a player the Steelers were hoping would be known mostly for his production and presence in the passing game.
The latest issue comes on top of a separate round of public criticism over an Instagram story that drew attention for the wrong reasons, adding another layer of distraction around one of the franchises biggest offseason additions. And with Metcalf later facing a two-game NFL suspension after a physical altercation with a fan during a game, the Steelers are left dealing with a question they did not exactly sign up for when they made the deal: how much off-field noise can they absorb from a player they expected to help define their offense? [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Roster Squeeze Just Put Several Surprise Spots In Play
The Steelers got through the preseason with their quarterback room intact, and now the hard part shifts to the rest of the roster. Pittsburgh confirmed all four quarterbacks made it through the exhibition slate with spots secured, while several of the teams biggest names, including Aaron Rodgers, T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and D.K. Metcalf, stayed home for the preseason trip to Buffalo.
With the final cuts looming, a few other places on the depth chart still look unsettled, especially around players on the Physically Unable to Perform list and veterans who can help on special teams. Rookie returner Kaden Wetjen gave himself a strong case with a 47-yard touchdown, a play that likely locked him in, but the roster squeeze still leaves room for a couple of surprise decisions before Pittsburgh gets to Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fringe Players Just Made Roster Decisions A Lot Tougher
The Steelers used their final preseason game against the Bills as one last look at the bubble before roster cuts, and there was plenty to sort through. Will Howard had a rough outing at quarterback, while the backup offensive line left its own questions hanging as Broderick Jones and Max Iheanachor were part of a group still fighting to show they can be trusted when the real games begin.
Elsewhere, the running game offered a better showing, with Lew Nichols and Eli Heidenreich helping give the offense some needed life. Even so, Kaleb Johnson did not help his case much in the battle for a spot, and with most of the defense sitting except for nose tackle Yahya Black, the Steelers still have a few last decisions to make before the roster gets trimmed. [Read more 🡒]