It’s the final countdown. The Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp in hours, with the first practice early Wednesday morning. Important questions will be answered over the next three weeks before the team breaks camp in mid-August. Below is a list of some of the most consequential questions to find out during camp and the rest of the summer until August 30th’s cutdowns.

Welcome back to football, everyone.

1. Who Wins The No. 2 QB Battle?

How was Will Howard? A question I’ll be asked daily. It’s important not to be prisoners of the moment and not to overreact to every single moment, good or bad. I’m sure the Internet will be perfectly rational about it, but Howard is under the microscope.

Hyped up by Mike McCarthy since his January hire, Howard will likely open up camp as the No. 2 quarterback. There will be good and bad days, but he must progress from the start of camp to the end.

Perhaps no quarterback will see as many preseason reps this summer as Howard. After missing all of last year’s exhibition games, he needs every single one of them. If Howard plays well, the No. 2 job is his. If he struggles, his standing on the depth chart (and even on the roster) becomes murky.

2. How Many Draft Picks Make The Team?

Since Omar Khan has taken over drafting, no rookie has been cut out of camp. All 21 picks have either begun on the 53-man roster or injured reserve. This year’s class is his largest yet, 10 men, and it’ll be challenging for all 10 to make this veteran-laden roster. Injuries can change the picture, but how many rookies grab a spot will be worth watching. Especially late-round picks DL Gabriel Rubio, RB Eli Heidenreich, and S Robert Spears-Jennings as they battle plenty of competition.

3. How Much Different Is Practice?

Welcome to the Mike McCarthy era. It began six months ago, but it will truly feel real at training camp with a different practice format than Mike Tomlin had. If his time in Green Bay and Dallas is any indication, McCarthy is likely to have a less physical and faster-paced environment than Tomlin. There’s no right or wrong way to approach camp, but the changes will be something we note early on.

4. Who Grabs The Final D-Line Spots?

There’s no fiercer battle on the roster than the final defensive line spots. Pittsburgh will keep up to seven with five locks: Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, and Sebastian Joseph-Day.

Gabriel Rubio, Kevin Jobity Jr., Logan Lee, Dean Lowry, and Esezi Otomewo are the main contenders for the last two spots. McCarthy likes bigger bodies on the roster, which may give the nod to guys like Rubio and Lowry. Otomewo offers pass rush off the bench while Jobity has a well-blended skill set and Lee has stuck around year after year. This battle will go down to the wire. It won’t be Pittsburgh’s most important, but it will be its most competitive.

5. Will Germie Bernard Or Roman Wilson Become The No. 3?

DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. are cemented as Pittsburgh’s top two receivers. The third spot is up for grabs. Germie Bernard’s second-round standing gives him a natural leg up, but Roman Wilson still has a chance to open as the No. 3 out of the gate. After all, he has more reps with QB Aaron Rodgers and more on-field experience.

Wilson must overcome last year’s poor chemistry with Rodgers, and Bernard is a talented and polished player who might not make typical rookie mistakes. How each performs this summer will dictate a lot to begin the season.

6. What Business Gets Done?

The business side of football never sleeps. Pittsburgh was busy this offseason extending K Chris Boswell, EDGE Nick Herbig, and TE Darnell Washington. All eyes will be on whether CB Joey Porter Jr. is next. The sooner a deal is reached to get him on the field with a new system and scheme, the better.

Could any other contract happen? Nose tackle Keeanu Benton has the next-best odds. Guard Spencer Anderson and inside linebacker Patrick Queen are longer shots for deals, but their odds aren’t zero, either.