Steelers DB Thomas Graham Jr. embraces chance to start, make impression during preseason

Looking to take advantage of an opportunity to make an impression so he can make the team, Thomas Graham Jr. certainly wasn’t intimidated by having to face one of the best at his position in the NFL.

A spot starter at nickel/slot defensive back because of a pair of injuries during Saturday’s preseason game, Graham lined up against Buffalo Bills slot receiver Khalil Shakir.

“We have been playing against each other for a long time now,” Graham said after the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Bills at Acrisure Stadium. “High school, college — and now in the league.”

Graham and Shakir were born eight months — and about 50 miles — apart in southern California. Then they each attended schools in the northwest (Shakir, Boise State; Graham, Oregon). Their sisters are best friends. They faced off at Thursday’s joint practice, too.

That lessened the pressure that Graham might have felt in getting an unexpected audition at one of the Steelers’ most open first-team starting positions. Beanie Bishop was held out because of an injury he suffered Thursday, the same day Grayland Arnold went on injured reserve. That left Graham as the next man up in the slot.

“I think I did good,” Graham said after. “I left two plays on the field in my head that I can straight-up remember. But aside from that I felt like I had a productive day and made the plays when they came to me. I’ve just got to make more.”

A sixth-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2021, Graham played in four games with one start as a rookie. The following year he made seven appearances for the Cleveland Browns. But he suffered a season-ending ankle injury during last year’s preseason and that left him available for the Steelers to add on a reserve/future contract in January.

He has been mostly running with the second team during training camp, both as an outside corner and in the slot. Bishop has mostly been running with the starters during camp. The Steelers have no obvious proven option at nickel DB after allowing last year’s starter at the position, Chandon Sullivan, leave via free agency.

That makes Graham’s start there Saturday notable.

“For me it was just kind of getting another chance to get out there, for real,” he said. “I don’t take anything for granted. I missed all of last year due to an injury. So for me I was just grateful to be on the field, grateful to do what I needed to do in camp for them to have interest in me for that position, and just went out there to go out there and ball.”

Graham, of course, will also need to make his mark on special teams if he is to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. On Saturday, he lamented that the Steelers did not punt during the second half because he was supposed to serve in the high-profile role of “gunner” on the coverage team.

“I think my film in Cleveland shows I can play (special) teams,” Graham said. “I just need to keep showing them each and every day that I can do that.”