Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Bills will be dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers starters, playing at least a half, even spilling into the third quarter. It’s the dress rehearsal, the last time the starters will play significant snaps before the regular season. It chances the dynamic for the backups – the last game before the roster gets trimmed from 90 to 75 .
But for either group, just being healthy and available is the first step, allowing coaches to evaluate them. And there are three Steelers who are struggling to do that. Missing the Bills game would be just another missed opportunity.