Two New Players to Make Steelers Debut

The Pittsburgh Steelers will see both of their new veterans on the field in Week 10.

Jun 13, 2023; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers receiver Mike Williams (81) carries the ball during minicamp at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers will see both of their new trade acquisitions on the field in Week 10, marking their debut for the black and gold against the Washington Commanders. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, both Mike Williams and Preston Smith are expected to play.

The expectation coming into the week was that both players would have an opportunity to play in Week 10, but it wasn't for certain that they would. The Steelers are notorious for waiting for players to "jump on the moving train," and not rush them into a workload before they are ready.

They'll test both players against the Commanders, hoping the veterans are up to speed enough to make some noise.

Both newly-acquired Steelers, WR Mike Williams and OLB Preston Smith, are expected to make their Pittsburgh debuts Sunday vs. Washington.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 10, 2024

While both players will be active, the roles for both will be different. Williams joins a wide receiver room that has operated with Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin as the starters alongside George Pickens. That likely stays the same in Week 10, with Williams coming off the bench from time to time.

His role this weekend may not be very large as the offense looks to work him in slowly over the next few weeks. While anything can happen, the expectation is that he plays 15-20 snaps against the Commanders.

As for Smith, he may get a shot to contribute in a big way early on. With Nick Herbig sidelined with a hamstring injury, Smith could become the No. 3 behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. That, along with his ability to move inside as a tackle on passing downs, should open the door for a significant role, if he's adjusted enough.

Head coach Mike Tomlin raved about both players's resumes being what "excites" him. That could come in handy as the 30-year-old receiver and 31-year-old pass rusher step on the field for a new team after being traded midseason.

"Their resumes," Tomlin told Steelers On SI about what stands out about both players. "They're not unproven guys when they’vegot real NFL resumes, bodies of work. That's always helpful."

Pittsburgh will release their final inactives list roughly an hour and a half before kickoff. From there, everyone will find out what those initial roles truly look like.

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