The plan for the preseason finale on Thursday night at Carolina is for the starting secondary to make its collective Steelers' debut.
Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, outside linebacker T.J. Watt, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver DK Metcalf won't play against the Panthers, head coach Mike Tomlin announced after practice today.
"Everyone else is under consideration," Tomlin emphasized. "They're preparing as if they're going to play."
That would include starting cornerbacks Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr., starting cornerback/slot cornerback/safety Jalen Ramsey and starting safety DeShon Elliott.
Those four are among a host of Steelers who sat out the first two preseason games, Aug. 9 at Jacksonville and last Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium against Tampa Bay.
"There are a lot of variables in it, who's playing for Carolina and things of that nature that might provide worthy competition," Tomlin continued. "But as I sit here today all healthy outside of the four that I mentioned are preparing and scheduled to play.
"We'll get to the stadium and we'll see what's happening on the other side and we may alter that in some ways. But I'm hopeful that we get an opportunity to play, particularly in the secondary. I'm not worried about the overall readiness of the collective. I just think cohesion is such a major component of what they do, the ability to communicate, communicate in-stadium.
"It's the same reason why our young offensive front has been working. Obviously, they lack collective experience that we have in the secondary, and so they've played through some. But I am excited about maybe seeing that secondary in a stadium."
Players dealing with injuries will once again be given every opportunity to participate.
Tomlin mentioned outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, cornerback Donte Kent, wide receiver Calvin Austin III and "others working their way back to us," in that category.
Highsmith, Kent and Austin are also among those who have yet to appear in a preseason game.
"We'll make an 11th-hour decision on those guys," Tomlin said. "We're always going to be inclusive this time of year because we realize the scarcity of the opportunities.
"If proven health enough we'll give those that have missed time an opportunity to play. And a lot of those judgments or at least some of this judgments could come down to pregame work."
Decisions such as the one to play his veterans in the secondary, Tomlin maintained, are made "according to what I see.
"We were living a week at a time," he said. "I made the decision based on the here and now."
A desire to see the Steelers' revamped secondary in action and, perhaps, a need to see the new collective working together may also have factored into the equation.
"There's a fine line between 'eager' and 'need,'" Tomlin said. "There's a collective component, a communication component, a coordination component to what they do.
"If they get an opportunity to get some snaps versus some really capable people in the stadium we'd appreciate it."
All four players who won't play have yet to appear in a preseason game.
Heyward participated in individual and team work at practice today, Tomlin confirmed.
Rodgers is on course to make his Steelers debut in the regular-season opener on Sept. 7 against the New York Jets (as is Metcalf).
"I'm comfortable with what I'm seeing out here," Tomlin said. "If I weren't, obviously, I'd be playing him."
