Steelers 53-man roster prediction
Steelers 53-man roster prediction
Training camp is already more than halfway over for the Pittsburgh Steelers with the new Saturday Night Lights practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium in the rearview mirror. There is still much to learn once preseason action begins on Thursday, but we know a lot more about the state of the roster than we did just two weeks ago.
What are the roster odds for the rookie class? And which newcomer veterans have separated themselves from the pack? I’m going to take a shot at all of that in my latest 53-man roster prediction.
Check out my last two versions below to see how my thinking has evolved.Pre-OTAs
Pre-Camp
Offense – 26
Quarterbacks (4) – Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Allar
Analysis: I didn’t think I’d find myself on the four QB train, but here we are. Mason Rudolph has separated himself from the pack as the clear backup so far. Mike McCarthy raved about him earlier this week. But I refused to believe they will cut ties with Howard after McCarthy said he would “definitely be a starter” in the NFL someday. Even if one ends up stashed on IR, they will need to carry four initially to get to that point.
Running Backs (3) – Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis Homer
Analysis: One of the underrated aspects of keeping four quarterbacks, likely costing one of the depth safeties (and core special teams players) their spot, is the necessity to keep special teams players elsewhere. That could be the deciding edge between Homer and Kaleb Johnson. Johnson may find himself on the outside looking in. Could they bring him back after the initial IR shuffle? Perhaps, but he is the most at-risk on this side of the ball unless he locks up two or three starting roles on special teams between now and the start of the season. Unfortunately, there just isn’t room for Eli Heidenreich on the 53 at the moment, and missing a few days of practice with an injury didn’t help matters.
Wide Receivers (6) – DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard, Ben Skowronek, Kaden Wetjen
Analysis: No changes in my thinking here. This group feels pretty set in stone. Wilson has locked up his spot and figures to be the WR3 until he falters. Skowronek and Wetjen have important special teams roles, so they should be safe.
Tight Ends (4) – Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan, Riley Nowakowski (FB/TE)
Analysis: Tonyan’s veteran presence and familiarity with both McCarthy and Rodgers have proven to be valuable. I was previously thinking he could maybe be stashed on the practice squad as a call-up, but he’s played his way into a roster spot. Nowakowski has been ultra-versatile and is currently the top fullback, but he also spends time in the TE room.
Offensive Tackles (4) – Troy Fautanu, Max Iheanachor, Dylan Cook, Broderick Jones
Analysis: As long as he’s healthy, Iheanachor is already on track to win the Week 1 starting job after an impressive start to camp. They aren’t going to cut either of the other two as valuable depth pieces. The only way this isn’t the group (outside of injury) is if one of the depth pieces drums up trade interest near cutdown day.
***Interior Offensive Linemen (5) –***Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker
Analysis: Steven Jones and Ryan McCollum are the top candidates that I left off. Jones seems like a good practice squad candidate to call up on game day. They already have evidence that he can comfortably sit on the practice squad. Running as a second-team OG throughout camp until he suffered an unknown injury, he could find his way onto the 53 if somebody like Gennings Dunker gets sent to IR after cutdowns. Hoffman’s center versatility makes McCollum expendable, and now that there’s an extra tackle in the mix, somebody has to miss the cut.
Defense – 24
Defensive Linemen (7) – Cameron Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Keeanu Benton, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Esezi Otomewo, Gabriel Rubio
Analysis: Logan Lee’s injury is going to make it tough for him to make the cut. Otherwise, Rubio’s top competition is probably Dean Lowry, or maybe a sleeper like Kyler Baugh, but I’ll give the edge to Omar Khan’s draft pick and the Steelers’ track record of keeping them all.
Outside Linebackers (4) – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer
Analysis: Etch this group in stone.
Inside Linebackers (4) – Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Carson Bruener
Analysis: Malik Harrison was expected to find himself on the outs this camp, and that’s exactly what has happened. As Carson Bruener has gotten more involved, Harrison’s presence has been barely noticeable.
Cornerbacks (5) – Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Brandin Echols, Asante Samuel Jr., Daylen Everette
Analysis: The Steelers think they hit a home run with third-round rookie Everette, and he’s still probably at the bottom of the depth chart in this room. It’s the best CB room Pittsburgh has had since at least 2008, and probably further back to the 1990s in the Rod Woodson era. Doneiko Slaughter is a name to watch with injuries to Echols and Ramsey.
Safeties (4) – Jalen Ramsey, DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker, Robert Spears-Jennings
Analysis: This is where keeping four quarterbacks really hurts. The roster math gets tight, and tough decisions need to be made. Though Pittsburgh has been busy signing S Rayshawn Jenkins and DB Israel Mukuamu, they seem like better candidates for the practice squad to be elevated on game day or signed to the 53-man roster later in the season. Spears-Jennings has benefitted from injuries to this group, and he’s done enough to earn a spot. Sebastian Castro is the odd man out right now. Where things could get interesting is if Ramsey’s PUP status carries over into the regular season to miss some time.
Special Teams – 3
Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell
Analysis: He’s been money throughout camp. No need to think twice here.
Punter (1) – Cameron Johnston
Analysis: Pittsburgh didn’t even bother signing camp competition for Johnston.
Long Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz
Analysis: Same story here. Kuntz is the only LS on the roster.