5 early Pittsburgh Steelers offensive training camp positional battles in 2020

TE3: Zach Gentry vs. Dax Raymond

Eric Ebron and Vance McDonald are firmly solidified into their roles as the top two tight ends on the team. However, the Steelers rarely keep just two tight ends, and there should be room for one more player to make the roster.

Zach Gentry was the Steelers fifth-round draft choice last season, and Pittsburgh may not be willing to give up on him quite so early. Recruited as a former college quarterback, Mike Tomlin and his crew will need to see improvements from the 6’8” tight end if he wants to stick around.

Meanwhile, the Steelers recently signed former Utah State tight end Dax Raymond. Raymond was signed by the Bears as a priority free agent following the draft last year, but he didn’t do enough to stick around. Though he doesn’t have any qualities that really stick out, he tested as a much better athlete than Gentry – posting above-average numbers in his speed and agility drills. At nearly 6’5” and 255 pounds, that isn’t bad.

Raymond is probably a longshot to make the final roster, but a solid training camp could give him a shot.

There will be plenty more offensive positional battles to look out for this year. Unfortunately, we will not have the privilege of seeing them in camp or comparing them in the preseason this year. Let’s hope the Steelers choose wisely.