Breaking down how the top 3 cut candidates can make the Steelers’ 53-man roster

After a long offseason, the time for regular season football is almost upon us.

Nothing signals that more than the preseason finale , with the Pittsburgh Steelers traveling to close out the slate of exhibitions against the Detroit Lions.

So with the roster set to go from 90 to 53 in a few days, here are three players on the wrong side of the bubble with the best chance of making the final 53.

WR Quez Watkins

Watkins has struggled to separate himself in the WR corps and following his muffed punt in the first week of the preseason, whatever stock he had, certainly plummeted after he was replaced by Scotty Miller at punt returner.

And while Miller definitively has the inside track given his familiarity with OC Arthur Smith, nothing can change momentum faster than a punt returned for a TD or a couple of nice catches with the second and third teamers.

EDGE Jeremiah Moon

Moon is going to likely battle Kyron Johnson for the final pass-rushing spot, looking to become the second team running mate of Nick Herbig following the sudden retirement of Markus Golden.

Moon had a strong Steelers debut, earning his first sack in the black and gold during Week 1 of the preseason.

But last week was highlighted by the speed, bend, and efficiency of Kyron Johnson. The man who makes the roster could come down to something as simple as who sacks the QB on Saturday.

CB-S Ryan Watts

Watts had a fantastic camp and ended last week's contest as the team's leading tackler. Easily the most exciting of the day three draft picks thus far, the rookie sixth-rounder is a hybrid whose conversion to safety has paid dividends.

There is a chance that Pittsburgh makes a shocking cut, releasing safety Damontae Kazee in favor of Watts, but it would take the preseason game of Watt's life for the Steelers to even consider that.

Related: Steelers veteran unlikely to receive a shot to defend his roster spot in preseason finale