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Steelers vs Redskins: rookie Justin Brown passes David Gilreath on WR depth chart

David Gilreath muffed a punt return in the Steelers first preseason which not only gave the Giants the ball back, it also cost Gilreath his spot on the depth chart.

By SteelCityRoller
Justin K. Aller

Still think preseason games are meaningless?

Among the changes on the depth chart of the Pittsburgh Steelers between their first preseason game against the New York Giants and their second on Monday night against the Washington Redskins, is the swapping of seedings for wide receivers David Gilreath and Justin Brown.

Gilreath was sitting third on one side of the offense last week, then he muffed a punt against the Giants which gave them the ball deep in Steelers territory. Gilreath was relying on his special teams contributions to give him an advantage over the rest of his competition for the last WR spot on the Steelers depth chart. Muffing punts negates such an advantage.

While Gilreath's punt remains prevalent in the minds of the coaching staff, so do the catches rookie Justin Brown made against the Giants in the same game. Brown put his 'soft' hands on display, quickly retaking his place as Landry Jones's favorite target from their collegiate days at Oklahoma. With big man Plaxico Burress now on IR and officially out for the rest of the season, Brown is looking to take his role in the offense. Making clutch catches is how opportunities are seized.

Both men will have three more preseason games to change the team's opinion on them, but every snap counts on film. Brown has special teams experience himself, and may eventually get a chance to use it against Gilreath to push him off the bubble completely.

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