Five Steelers Players to Watch vs. Jaguars

Roman Wilson

After being listed as a third-string wide receiver behind Scotty Miller and Robert Woods on Pittsburgh's initial depth chart, Roman Wilson should come out with a vengeance against Jacksonville.

Following an unremarkable start to training camp, Wilson connected with Aaron Rodgers for a few big plays in Wednesday's practice and looks to finally be building some momentum.

With DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III out, Wilson should see a healthy amount of playing time on Saturday and thus will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself.

Kaleb Johnson

Though the hype surrounding Kaleb Johnson is palpable, he still has some work to do if he wants to carve out a featured role in the Steelers' offense as a rookie.

Listed behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the initial depth chart, the former of whom won't play against the Jaguars, Johnson will likely see a majority of the work on the ground for the Steelers in his professional debut.

A powerful and patient runner who was one of the country's top running backs at Iowa last season, expect some fireworks from Johnson in the Sunshine State.

Jack Sawyer

Perhaps none of the Steelers' rookies have a better chance to make a statement on Saturday than Jack Sawyer.

A fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, Sawyer will be fully unleashed off the edge in Jacksonville as T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig all sit out.

A strong run defender who has had some standout moments during camp, the Jaguars' offensive tackles could be in for a long night trying to block Sawyer.

Cole Holcomb

Fresh off some first-team reps on Thursday while Patrick Queen sat out of practice, Cole Holcomb is set to play in his first game, whether it be in the preseason or regular season, since suffering a devastating knee injury on November 2, 2023.

It's been a long road to recovery for Holcomb, and he appears ready to make an impact for the Steelers this season. His health is still a sizable question mark, but he'll have plenty of runway on Saturday as he looks to further get back into the swing of things.

James Pierre

With Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey all ruled out, James Pierre has a golden opportunity to build on his stellar training camp performance vs. Jacksonville.

He is returning for his fifth season with the Steelers after signing a one-year deal with the team in free agency this offseason. Pierre's been an interception magnet at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and he's suddenly became a candidate to secure a 53-man roster spot after his odds didn't look so promising just a month ago.

The 28-year-old isn't out of the woods just yet, but a strong showing on Saturday would certainly serve him well.