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Ray Davis: Tough night in final exhibition contest
Friday, August 28, 2026 3:02 AM
Davis didn't receive a touch on offense but gained 11 yards on two punt returns while losing a fumble in Thursday's 28-27 preseason win over the Steelers.
His muffed punt return at the Buffalo 12-yard line in the first quarter led directly to Pittsburgh's first TD of the game on the very next play. It was a tough way for Davis to end his preseason, but the third-year RB has never returned a punt in his NFL career. Davis' spot as the No. 2 back behind James Cook seems fairly secure however, after he averaged 4.7 yards on 58 carries over 17 regular-season games last year.
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Riley Nowakowski: Catches pass in preseason finale
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:56 AM
Nowakowski caught one of two targets for seven yards in Thursday's 28-27 preseason loss to the Bills.
The 2026 fifth-round pick was on the other end of the first pass attempt of the night from Will Howard (head), as Nowakowski worked with the first-team offense in the absence of the Steelers' regular starters. While he was purely a tight end in college, the Steelers are viewing Nowakowski as more of a hybrid fullback/TE, and that versatility could help him land a spot on the Week 1 roster.
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Kaden Wetjen: Makes impact on special teams Thursday
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:49 AM
Wetjen caught one of two targets for seven yards, gained 17 yards on his only kickoff return and added 61 yards and a touchdown on four punt returns in Thursday's 28-27 preseason loss to the Bills.
The 2026 fourth-round pick took advantage of Buffalo being forced to punt out their end zone in the fourth quarter, catching the ball on the Bills' side of midfield, surviving some initial contact and then reversing course to jet down the left sideline to the house. Wetjen returned six kicks for TDs in three seasons at Iowa, but he doesn't offer much value on offense, so it remains to be seen whether the Steelers will carry a return specialist on the Week 1 roster.
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Eli Heidenreich: Gets into end zone against Bills
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:42 AM
Heidenreich carried the ball nine times for 35 yards and a touchdown while adding 47 yards on two kickoff returns during Thursday's 28-27 preseason loss to Buffalo.
The rookie seventh-round pick showed some of his versatility by making a positive impression on special teams while also scoring Pittsburgh's only rushing TD of the night, taking a pitch from Drew Allar and churning his way through traffic from nine yards out in the third quarter. Heidenreich is fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster, but he curiously didn't catch a pass in the preseason despite that being his main strength in college, making it tough to evaluate his chances of sticking around behind the clear top backfield duo of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.
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Kaleb Johnson: Sees action late in preseason finale
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:34 AM
Johnson carried the ball five times for 11 yards in Thursday's 28-27 preseason loss to the Bills.
It's not an encouraging sign for the 2025 third-round pick that he was the fourth running back into the game for the Steelers, as Johnson didn't get his first touch until the second half, after Lew Nichols, Eli Heidenreich and Travis Homer has all mixed into the backfield. Johnson is coming off a disappointing rookie campaign in which he managed just 69 rushing yards in 10 regular-season contests, and he could be on the roster bubble.
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Germie Bernard: Finds end zone in final exhibition game
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:28 AM
Bernard caught one of two targets for a 13-yard touchdown in Thursday's 28-27 preseason loss to the Bills.
The Steelers rested their starters and key personnel, but Bernard played the first quarter and connected with Will Howard (head) on a one-play scoring drive after Buffalo's Ray Davis muffed a punt. Bernard's usage Thursday would seem to suggest he'll begin the season No. 4 on the wide receiver depth chart behind DK Metcalf (undisclosed), Michael Pittman (hamstring) and Roman Wilson, but the 2026 second-round pick could find himself in a key role early if either of the veterans ahead of him wind up not being ready for Week 1.
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Stetson Bennett: Doesn't play in preseason finale
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:23 AM
Bennett didn't play in the Rams' 20-18 preseason win over the Chargers on Thursday.
The 2023 fourth-round pick got an extensive audition in Saturday's preseason win over the Saints, throwing for 181 yards and rushing for two touchdowns. Head coach Sean McVay wanted to give Bennett's competition for the No. 2 quarterback role, rookie first-round pick Ty Simpson, his own extended look Thursday, and Bennett therefore got the night off. The job battle between the two is reportedly still unsettled, and Simpson's strong play Thursday (129 total yards, one pass TD) likely makes McVay's imminent decision that much harder.
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Drew Allar: Makes little impact in preseason finale
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:21 AM
Allar completed nine of 18 passes for 88 yards without a touchdown or interception in Thursday's 28-27 preseason loss to the Bills.
Will Howard (head) played the entire first half and Allar the second with both Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph getting the night off, but neither young quarterback did much to distinguish themselves in the battle for the No. 3 spot. Howard was evaluated for a potential concussion after the game, which could be enough to tip the scales in Allar's favor, although the Steelers always seemed likely to find a way to keep all four QBs on the roster. If Allar does make the cut, the 2026 third-round pick would need injuries ahead of him to see the field in a meaningful way as a rookie.
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Harrison Mevis: Perfect on four kicks Thursday
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:18 AM
Mevis made two field-goal attempts from 27 yards out and converted both PATs in the Rams' 20-18 preseason win over the Chargers on Thursday.
Mevis put a bow on his perfect preseason with his four kicks Thursday. The second-year kicker went 6-for-6 on field-goal attempts and 8-for-8 point-after tries across three exhibitions, affording him no shortage of momentum heading into a Week 1 matchup against the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, Sept. 10.
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Cameron Dicker: Misfires on field goal Thursday
Friday, August 28, 2026 2:15 AM
Dicker missed a 49-yard field-goal attempt wide right, drilled a 34-yarder and knocked home his only PAT in the Chargers' 20-18 preseason loss to the Rams on Thursday.
Dicker's miss came as time expired in the first half, but he partly atoned with his 34-yarder late in the third quarter. Dicker did miss two extra-point attempts but made four of five field-goal tries this preseason, and he'll now turn his sights to a Week 1 home matchup against the Cardinals that could provide him with plenty of scoring opportunities.
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