Five players to watch in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game

Thursday night will be the unofficial return of the NFL, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game will kick off the 2021 preseason. The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers will get a look at many of their new players and figure out who will fill out their regular season roster, while the majority of starters will see limited action.

Let’s take a look at the five players who you should keep an eye on as you enjoy the game.

1. Antoine Brooks (Steelers)

With Mike Hilton departing in the offseason to join Cincinnati, the Steelers are now looking for a new nickel corner to fill his shoes. Brooks underwhelmed in his rookie season in 2020, with just 29 snaps on the defensive side of the ball after being selected in the sixth round of last year’s draft.

Brooks is listed as the starter at nickel in Pittsburgh’s first depth chart, and he is under a lot of pressure to perform as there are other options to replace him should he failed to impress, including Cameron Sutton shifting inside. Brooks has lost 20 pounds from last season and has said he is ready to step up and take over the role. The Cowboys have a terrific receiving corps, and will give him ample opportunity to show what he can do.

2. Dwayne Haskins (Steelers)

One of two quarterbacks looking to claim the third QB role behind Ben Roethlsberger and Mason Rudolph, Haskins is looking to revive a career that once looked promising but has turned into a bit of a dumpster fire. Haskins is competing with Josh Dobbs, and the former first round pick for Washington may see his career come to a premature end if he fails to impress.

Haskins is going to play the last two minutes of the first half, per head coach Mike Tomlin, with Dobbs playing the third quarter. It might not seem like a whole lot of time, but performing well in that window could prove vital to his chances to make the final roster. Additionally, he has played well in training camp, and a solid performance might give him a chance to compete for the backup position.

3. Keanu Neal (Cowboys)

Dan Quinn has brought his Legion of Boom playbook to Big D, and Neal is familiar with the playbook after having been part of Quinn’s defense in Atlanta. He is being converted from a safety for the Falcons to a linebacker for the Cowboys, and this will be his first chance to show how that transition is progressing.

Neal is a key part of the overhaul at linebacker for Dallas, with Micah Parsons being their 12th overall pick in this year’s draft. If Neal can successfully convert to the linebacker role, it will take pressure off of Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, whose injury history is of huge concern to the team.

4. Mason Rudolph (Steelers)

As mentioned earlier, Rudolph heads into the season as the backup quarterback behind Big Ben. However, the aging veteran does not have long left in the league, and this is the time where Rudolph needs to take a step forward to prove he is the man to take over the reins. He also has a new coach calling the offense, with Matt Canada taking over in his first NFL coordinator role.

Rudolph started just one game last season, after seeing plenty of time in 2019 following an injury to Roethlisberger. It is highly likely he could see more time this season with the injury risk tied to Big Ben, and the team will want to see some promising signs in the first half as they begin to prepare for life after their long-time leader. A poor performance could also open the door for Haskins or Dobbs should they impress.

5. Tyron Smith (Cowboys)

The Cowboys struggled mightily last season to run the football, and that was in large part due to the absence of their Pro Bowl tackle. Smith opted out of the remainder of the 2020 season after choosing to undergo neck surgery.

Smith allowed just one sack in 2019 in 13 starts, and the Cowboys will be hoping he returns to the form that saw him elected to seven consecutive Pro Bowls before missing last season. They also need him to ensure that Dak Prescott’s blind side is protected, especially with him returning from leg surgery. If he comes back and plays like a top-10 tackle, the Cowboys’ chances in the NFC East go up exponentially.