by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma)on
As training camp ends and the preseason is well underway, regular season predictions are on the horizon. That includes the cutdown from 90 players down to the first 53-man regular season roster near the end of this month.
My exercise today is to guess which players will be retained during that cutdown. Unlike my previous Steelers roster predictions, there are a few more surprises this time around as the team winds down through the final preseason games. I hope you enjoy my experiment and let’s see how close I get to the first announced roster!
Quarterbacks (3)
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kyle Allen
This isn’t much of a surprise. Russell Wilson was signed to be the team’s starter and hopes to return back to contending for a league MVP. His counterpart, Justin Fields, plans to be the backup despite some pre match football odds setting Fields as a potential favorite to eventually win the job.
With the one and two set, Kyle Allen is a distant third as the team’s emergency quarterback.
Running Backs (3)
Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren,Cordarrelle Patterson
As noted in a previous roster prediction I made, the designation of Cordarrelle Patterson is that of an “RB/KR”. He’s been working out in individual drills with the running backs, and will therefore take a roster spot as one.
Undrafted Georgia rookie Daijun Edwards, who led the team with 28 yards on three carries against the Texans, will get a chance to move up the ladder. I suspect he will go to the practice squad and get called up as necessary.
(Note: Connor Heyward, who is listed as TE/RB, makes the team with the tight ends group below.)
Wide Receivers (5)
George Pickens,Van Jefferson,Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller
Barring a trade, this is the group the Steelers will roll with Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.
I didn’t expect Roman Wilson to move ahead of Calvin Austin or Van Jefferson on the depth chart, but that’s rightfully so with Wilson’s injury preventing him from participating in most of camp plus the preseason.
The eyebrow raiser of this prediction is Scotty Miller, a journeyman receiver that seems to get open and make plays no matter who is throwing him the ball. He caught three passes for 47 yards against Houston and is another of Arthur Smith’s former players. That should give him the edge to make the cut.
Quez Watkins is on the outside looking in after muffing a punt against Houston. Special teams was his in-roads to making the team.
Tight Ends (4)
Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
I felt as thoughArthur Smith will use more multiple tight end sets this season, but after careful consideration, there’s no reason to expect the Steelers to carry four on their roster.
That additional spot will be used elsewhere on the team, perhaps even for a dedicated fullback, which has cropped up in team drills and also Pittsburgh’s first preseason game. Still, keep an eye out for veteran MyCole Pruitt and Rodney Williams for special teams duty or a practice squad spot.
Offensive Linemen (9)
Zach Frazier, James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Broderick Jones, Dan Moore Jr., Nate Herbig, Spencer Anderson, Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick
The Steelers should have their offensive line of the future set with the likes of veterans Seumalo and Daniels, with the young Jones, Fautanu, and Frazier ready to step in as well. McCormick not only earns a spot here, but is likely the next man up in 2025 behind Daniels but I don’t see the same future for the others.
Dan Moore Jr. could be trade bait to start the season depending on the availability, and readiness, of Fautanu. Anderson is versatile but doesn’t offer much but spot starter help, while Herbig makes a bit too much money to retain as a center – especially with the poor performance against Houston.
Is nine the magic number for this group? That’s hard to figure out, but they’ll keep eight at a minimum in order to fulfill the league’s practice squad call up rules on game days. Nine is the number Pittsburgh usually keeps, with one of those players typically inactive on Sundays.
(Note: Herbig was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff as well over the weekend and may not make the initial 53 now if he were to miss the entire season. I left him on this list knowing he will be placed on IR, it’s just a matter of if that transaction happens prior to the 53-man roster cuts.)
Defensive Linemen (7)
Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Montravius Adams, Logan Lee
The defensive line returns nearly the entire group from last season, with rookie Logan Lee as the newcomer.
Breiden Fehoko was placed on injured reserve and will miss a chance at hanging on to a bottom roster spot.
Linebackers (8)
T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Payton Willis, Tyler Matakevich, Mark Robinson
Omar Khan attempted to add another pass rusher to this group by re-signing 33-year-old Markus Golden before training camp, but the veteran arrived and retired within a week of signing. That may indicate the front office will seek another outside linebacker before the season kicks off to supplement Herbig as the primary backup.
Otherwise, the presumed fourth edge rusher would be DeMarvin Leal, who is splitting time as a defensive end but shed some weight this offseason. Leal has been deployed at both positions throughout camp and during the first preseason game.
The inside linebackers are set with Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts the presumed starters, flanked by rookie Payton Willis. Tyler Matakevich was brought back to play on special teams, while Mark Robinson cuts his teeth as a specialist too, but might be caught in a roster transaction move where he’s cut and re-signed after clearing waivers. That all depends on if Cole Holcomb is placed on injured reserve or the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list to start the season.
Cornerbacks (6)
Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Cory Trice Jr., Darius Rush, Beanie Bishop, Anthony Averett
The cornerback room is in flux beyond the starter. Veteran Anthony Averett played a great deal of the first preseason game, and with mediocre results. This opened the door for the team to trial Cory Trice Jr. as a potential spot starter, something Trice is embracing well.
The rest of the room includes Darius Rush,and camp favorite Beanie Bishop. Rush failed to impress in the first preseason game and didn’t make the same jump as Trice to a higher profile spot. Cameron Sutton will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt/suspended list for eight games to start the season.
The nickel corner position was a battle between Arnold and Bishop. Bishop didn’t do well on special teams against the Texans, and is completely new to the NFL, whereas Arnold entered his fifth season as a journeyman player. Arnold was placed on season-ending IR last Thursday, giving the green light for Bishop to take the starting role and allowing someone else, such as Averett, to make the team. However, there’s a chance someone else could be added as other teams trim their rosters.
Safeties (5)
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, DeShon Elliott, Miles Killebrew, Ryan Watts
I went from unimpressed to enamored with Ryan Watts. He’s one of those versatile chess pieces Mike Tomlin covets and has a body to hit like a linebacker. He’s built for special teams and to lineup against tight ends, which could find him ahead of even Arnold or Bishop should he get a helmet on game days.
Killebrew is going nowhere as he’s the most decorated non-kicking specialist in the AFC. If anything, I could see the Steelers seeking another defensive back to round out their roster, if only due to the number of injuries they had to cover at this position in 2023.
Specialists (3)
Chris Boswell, Cameron Johnston, Christian Kuntz
Johnson could be the team’s best new acquisition this offseason and that’s really saying something. Boswell and Kuntz are also locks to make the roster.
Offensive Weapon (1)
Okay, I had one more roster spot and no clue what to do with it. As mentioned earlier, there’s a few players in flux who could stick to the roster. Fullback Jack Colletto has been seeing a fair share of work throughout camp and could be the dark horse to make the team. I also felt as though MyCole Pruitt or Rodney Williams are necessary, larger tight ends to utilize over Connor Heyward in big sets.
However, the Steelers fourth quarterback in camp, John Rhys Plumlee, is being tested at so many positions – quarterback, receiver, kick and punt returner, to name a few – that I feel like the coaching staff is going to find him a role somewhere. We could be witnessing the birth of Slash 2.0 in 2024.
Full List (53)
Here’s the remaining names compiled from the lists above and how the full 53-man roster shakes out.
