3 Pittsburgh Steelers who shouldn't start Week 1 thanks to rough preseason outing

The Pittsburgh Steelers hoped to put a somewhat disappointing first preseason game behind them with a better showing on Saturday, but they did anything but. The Steelers struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball all game, getting some Steelers fans to wish Kenny Pickett was still in black and gold.

Pittsburgh lost to Mitchell Trubisky and the Buffalo Bills by a final score of 9-3 in the ultimate preseason snoozefest. Obviously preseason records don't matter at all, but this kind of showing is one that should force changes to be made.

With that in mind, these three Steelers players who played in Saturday's game and struggled might see their roles reduced when the regular season rolls around.

3) Jaylen Warren, RB

This is an unfortunate one. Jaylen Warren, a key piece in Pittsburgh's rushing attack last season, suffered a hamstring injury, knocking him out of the game prematurely.

Hamstring injuries are incredibly tricky, especially for running backs. While it's a good sign that Warren was ruled as doubtful to return instead of immediately out, the chances of him being ready to play a big role come Week 1 or even at all are probably slim. With the chances of re-aggravating a hamstring injury being as high as they are, the Steelers will likely let Warren rest, limiting his availability for the regular season opener if he can play at all.

With Najee Harris proving to be extremely inefficient as the starter and even having his fifth-year option declined, Warren seemed to have an opportunity to start in their backfield. Sure, Najee was probably the favorite, but Warren was far more efficient last season and if he played well in the preseason, perhaps Mike Tomlin would've rode the hot hand. Thanks to this unfortunate injury, though, it's unlikely we'll ever know.

2) Broderick Jones, OT

The Steelers took Broderick Jones with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft expecting him to be a stalwart on their offensive line for years to come, but to say he had a rough showing on Saturday would be an understatement.

The Bills absolutely bullied Jones to no end, leading to both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields having some trouble.

What's notable is that Jones' struggles came at the right tackle position, a spot that he's familiar with, but clearly not comfortable in. Troy Fautanu's injury thrust Jones back into the right tackle position, but after seeing him there on Saturday, the Steelers need to find another option.

Fautanu's Week 1 status is up in the air at best right now, and Jones is expected to start at one of the two tackle spots, but moving him back to left tackle appears to be Pittsburgh's best course of action.

While versatility can be valuable, it's not valuable at all when a player is overmatched in the fashion that Jones was on Saturday. He might improve with more reps, but for now, the Steelers are better off putting him back on the left side where he's clearly more comfortable.

1) Russell Wilson, QB

Russell Wilson got the fresh start he wanted. He was released after two very subpar years in Denver and was out to prove that he still had something left in the tank. Saturday was his first opportunity to play in a Steelers uniform and it did not go well in the slightest.

The 35-year-old did complete eight of his ten passes, but threw for just 47 yards while playing for most of the first half, and the Steelers were held off the board entirely. Additionally, he took three sacks, again holding onto the ball for way too long.

While the Steelers failed to score a touchdown with Fields under center either, Fields makes more sense for a couple of reasons. First, he's a decade younger. If both options are underwhelming, you might as well turn to the younger player who was recently taken in the first round who might have a shot at being part of your future, right?

Second, there's more upside. Fields is incredibly flawed but he has better arm talent than Wilson and can do so much more with his legs, obviously. Fields only threw for 92 yards but led the team with eight carries and 42 yards on the ground. They might both have equally low floors, but Fields has some upside that Wilson just doesn't seem to at this stage of his career.

Chances are, Wilson will still get the nod even after a brutal showing like this because he was signed to start. To say he should start, though, feels wrong.