Steelers Will Play Healthy Starters In 2023 Preseason Opener; Injured Safeties Remain Day-To-Day

We are just days away from the first Pittsburgh Steelers game for the 2023 season. No, it's not the regular season yet, as Friday will be the preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Teams are typically cautious with how they handle their starters when it comes to the preseason, as it's typically the time that unknown guys step up. On Friday though, we will see all of the healthy guys play for the Steelers.

That includes second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett and the rest of the healthy starters throughout the team. Head Coach Mike Tomlin addressed this in his press conference on Wednesday morning. Tomlin did admit that a guy like Pickett does need more snaps than a veteran quarterback, thus why he will see more action in Friday's opener. We will get to see the first glimpse at the offense, as they have worked hard to improve that side of the ball this offseason.

Now, note how Tomlin used the word healthy when talking about who would play on Friday. This presumably means that safeties Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal are questionable to play. The two veterans were listed as co-starters at strong safety on the first release of the team's depth chart. Those two, coupled with Minkah Fitzpatrick, figure to see a lot of time on the field together this upcoming season.

Kazee is dealing with an ankle injury at the moment. Last season, his first year in Pittsburgh, he missed eight games due to injury. Kazee does seem to be nearing a return, as he was out on the practice field in Latrobe on Tuesday. As for Neal, he has still yet to return as well. It will be Neal's first season in Pittsburgh, as they signed him to a cheap two-year deal earlier this offseason. 

In the early stages of training camp, he flashed his physicality on several occasions. On a positive note, Tomlin listed each of their injuries as "day-to-day." Essentially, they should be ready by the start of the season (at minimum), if not by the end of this week. Some people became concerned about the status of those two, as the team signed safety Jalen Elliott earlier this week.

What will the Steelers' safety room look like in Week 1?

It seems like that signing was more of just a temporary replacement for the practice field. Additionally, other guys have stepped up in the absence of Neal and Kazee. Specifically, Elijah Riley and Kenny Robinson have stood out, which should make the team feel a bit more confident about the depth at safety. Other injured players, like DeMarvin Leal and rookie Joey Porter Jr., returned to practice on Tuesday, which should mean they're ready to go for Friday.

In a shocking turn of events, Kendrick Green has suddenly turned into a fan favorite in Pittsburgh over the last week. Last Friday, he saw reps as the H-back on offense and did surprisngly well. That wasn't a fluke either, as he has been taking snaps at the position in the early portions of this week in Latrobe. Based off Tomlin's comments in the press conference, it seems like Green will see actual in-game snaps at his new position in Friday's preseason opener. 

What are you looking forward to watching in Friday's first preseason game? Do you think Green has an actual chance to make the roster as an H-back? Are you concerned about the injuries of Neal and Kazee? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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