Date: Thursday, Sept. 1
Time: 8 p.m.
Site: Bank of America Stadium
TV: KDKA
The Steelers wrap up their preseason tonight in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers.
It's the last chance for players such as Donovan Warren, Tyler Grisham and John Clay to impress the coaches.
The contest doesn't figure to be as eventful for others like quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He'll sit this one out. Veteran Charlie Batch gets the nod at quarterback but Dennis Dixon will also see plenty of reps as the two players compete for the backup role when the regular season begins Sept. 11.
Another key position battle has concluded. Doug Legursky has been named the starter at right guard, beating out Ramon Foster and Tony Hills. An undrafted free agent out of Marshall in 2008, Legursky has started four games at guard in his career and one at center (Super Bowl XLV). Legursky proved himself to the coaches with his versatility and also his intelligence. He is considered the team's best lineman at reading defenses.
These are some of the other roster battles to watch tonight:
- Jonathan Dwyer has been the Steelers most effective running back during the preseason and almost certainly has a spot locked up. John Clay has been mostly a disappointment to this point but he figures to get a longer look tonight and could land a spot on the practice squad with an impressive showing.
- Arnaz Battle and Tyler Grisham appear to be battling for the No. 6 receiver spot, if there is one. The team could decide to only keep five at that position because the numbers are crunched at other positions. If they had to choose one right now it would seem to be Battle. He's a more proven special teams performer, which is the real value for a No. 6 receiver.
- John Gilmore, Weslye Saunders and Jamie McCoy continue their competition for the No. 3 tight end role. Saunders is an athletic player from South Carolina. Big frame, good hands, but I think the Steelers are going to favor blocking in that role. If Gilmore is unable to nail it down they might look externally to fill this void.
- Curiously, Ramon Foster, last year's starter at right guard, was not given much of an opportunity to win that starting spot. And he lost it. Could he be in some trouble? The Steelers re-signed Trai Essex, who can play all five line positions, and there are two young guards, Chris Scott and Keith Williams, who have both flashed some potential.
- Keenan Lewis and Crezdon Butler both responded last week with solid performances. I think the Steelers will keep both players but I also think they like what they've seen from Donovan Warren. There is probably not a roster spot available for Warren, if they keep Lewis and Butler, so the Steelers will have to hope another team doesn't spot him before they can place him on the practice squad.