Five Steelers on the roster bubble face a decisive preseason finale against the Panthers as Pittsburgh trims to 53. Skylar Thompson, Cory Trice Jr., Corliss Waitman, Mark Robinson and DeMarvin Leal enter must-show auditions with the team’s depth chart in flux. The game also looms as a barometer for Will Howard’s status and for how far the special-teams unit can carry value into September. Panthers proximity adds urgency as Pittsburgh weighs QB, CB, punting, LB and DL spots in a high-stakes cut week storyline.

Thompson’s fate could hinge on whether Pittsburgh carries four quarterbacks or backs Will Howard via IR, while Trice Jr. contends with a stacked corner room and durability concerns. Waitman must fend off Cameron Johnston’s return as the punter; Robinson’s special-teams prowess is up against a crowded LB corps; Leal must flip the script on a revamped DL to secure a spot. For fantasy minds, the drama translates into late-round stash opportunities, punt-coverage upside, and how roster volatility could reshape Week 1 roles.