The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Houston Texans 20-12 in their 2024 preseason debut. Pittsburgh played sloppy, which isn’t a huge surprise for the first game of a preseason, especially for a team with a lot of new faces. There were some bright spots for the Steelers, however. All eyes were on Arthur Smith’s offense before the game, and there were a few players who stood out on that side of the ball. Rookie center Zach Frazier was one of the Steelers’ biggest winners, putting on a strong performance in his NFL debut.
Zach Frazier highlights the winners of the first week of the Steelers preseason
Despite having a stellar debut, Zach Frazier wasn’t the only Steelers player to shine in their first preseason game. Speedy wide receiver Scotty Miller also stood out among a group of guys battling for a spot on the roster. And two outside linebackers, Jeremiah Moon and Kyron Johnson, find themselves in a battle for OLB4 after surprising retirements.
Scotty Miller stands out
Behind George Pickens, there are a lot of wide receivers battling for a handful of spots on offense. Van Jefferson has established himself as the WR2 and had a great catch in Friday night’s game. Rookie Roman Wilson will make the roster but did not play due to injury. After those three, the next two wide receivers are likely Calvin Austin III and Scotty Miller.
Both Austin and Miller are extremely fast and can create explosive plays for the Steelers offense. Against Houston, Miller showed off his speed on a 38-yard pass to Kyle Allen. He’s not a receiver who makes every attempt, but Miller’s speed and agility would add a nice touch to a Steelers offense that struggled to create big plays last season. While they continue to work on a trade for Brandon Aiyuk, it’s hard to say what the Steelers’ receiver corps will look like when the regular season begins. But Miller’s performance Friday night suggests that if a trade doesn’t happen, he’s a strong contender for a spot on the roster.
Zach Frazier is ready for Week 1
Pittsburgh was in desperate need of a new center entering this season, and one seemed to fall into their laps in the draft. They selected Frazier out of West Virginia in the second round, who was considered the best pro-ready center in the draft class. Throughout training camp, Frazier faced some ups and downs as he tried to adapt to the power and athleticism of the NFL’s defensive tackles.
Despite coming into the game as the second center, Zach Frazier quickly showed that he is ready to climb into the starting position. Nate Herbig, who started as center, had some problems with his snaps. Frazier had no problems and also showed his excellent skills as a run blocker.
Nice to see the strengths of Zach Frazier’s college film come through right in Week 1 of the preseason. High play + finishing skills pic.twitter.com/0XnmlM68BI
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) 10 August 2024
Whether he’s officially promoted or not, Zach Frazier left no doubt that he should start when the Steelers visit the Atlanta Falcons to open the regular season. His strengths in the running game will provide a huge boost to an offense looking to win games through the trenches.
The OLB4 battle is completely open
Although one of them will ultimately be a loser, outside linebackers Kyron Johnson and Jeremiah Moon are both winners for now. Before Friday, each of them was likely an outsider for a roster spot. Then Markus Golden announced his sudden retirement just a week after extending his contract with Pittsburgh. So all eyes were on Johnson and Moon on the sidelines.
Both players took advantage of the opportunity and played solid games against Houston. Moon had six tackles, second most on the team, along with a sack and a tackle for a loss. Johnson wasn’t far behind with three tackles, one for a loss, and a couple of pressure situations. With Golden’s retirement, this position battle becomes a crucial one to keep an eye on. One will be the fourth edge rusher and one will be the underdog.
Main image: Charles LeClaire – USA Today Sports
