By Carter English
www.SteelerNation.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the football field Saturday Night against the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers suffered their first loss in the preseason 19-15. This week is the final game to decide who will make the cut for the first regular season game against the Cleveland Browns. Now let’s see who’s value for the team went up and who's went down.
Up: QB Landry Jones
On August 1st, Jones exited training camp with an abdominal injury. This led to 2017 draft pick Josh Dobbs playing in his spot in the first two preseason games.
In Jones’s first preseason game he had 21 completions on 31 attempts (68%), for 163 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Another big reason that Jones’s value went up is that Dobbs struggled yet again. This proves that Dobbs is still a rookie and needs to get the experience to be a capable backup in this league.
Down: CB Ross Cockrell
The third preseason game against the Colts proved that the Steelers need help again in the secondary. Coming into this year Cockrell had to prove that he could be a starter on this team.
Cockrell struggled to cover the pass yet again, and only had 2 tackles in the game.
On Wednesday the Steelers added veteran CB Joe Haden. Haden will take over the starting corner spot opposite of Artie Burns. Cockrell bow finds himself wondering if he's going to make the team. His lack of special teams contributions may end his tender on the roster.
Up: LB Ryan Shazier
We all know what Shazier is capable of, the 2016 pro-bowler has proved ever since stepping onto an NFL field that he has what it takes to be a star in this league.
Shazier has been sidelined this preseason due to injuries. It was a huge sigh of relief for Steelers fans to see Shazier come into his first preseason game with a tackle and an interception.
Shazier is the future of this Steelers defense, injuries have sidelined him in the past. If Shazier can avoid getting injured in the future, he may one day be wearing a golden jacket.
Down: TE Xavier Grimble
Don’t get me wrong, Grimble had a decent game with 26 yards and a TD. However, the Steelers just traded for former San Francisco 49ers TE Vance McDonald.
McDonald will be a legitimate contender for Grimble’s job as backup TE and quite frankly, Jesse James’s job at starting TE.
Ever since Heath Miller retired, Ben Roethlisberger has been looking for that next explosive TE. Ladarius Green looked as if he might be that TE, however he was nowhere near to being the TE that Ben was looking for. Roethlisberger loves to have a safety blanket at TE who can also go vertical. McDonald could be the guy to do this for Roethlisberger, resulting in Grimble’s production to go down.
Up: WR Martavis Bryant
Ever since being reinstated by the NFL, Bryant has proven to NFL fans that he has still got it.
After 15 touchdowns in his first two seasons, Bryant is known for getting those deep ball passes. Although Bryant finished with 5 catches for 23 yards he proved that he can break an explosive play for deep any day.
