The Steelers are preparing to set their final roster in the coming weeks, but they need to keep their eyes out for other talents that will be released
With training camp beginning to wind down, teams will have to decide on the 53 roster members they want to field on their opening game. For the Steelers, the roster favorites have already begun to take shape, and the apparent cuts are getting easier to pick out. Like the rest of the NFL though, the Steelers will have to make some tough choices and part ways with players who were on the roster bubble but ultimately couldn’t carve out a role on the active roster. Roster cutdown day gives these players one last chance though, as the majority of them are open to waivers and can be claimed and added to another team.
While the Steelers aren’t notorious waiver wire fiends, they have been known to claim certain players if they really like what they see. Typically, though, since they are so far down the waiver claim order, most of these claims go unnoticed as a different team snatches the player the front office was targeting. Given the uncertainty of this season though, the Steelers could be exposed to a wide variety of roster cutdowns given the uncertainty of the season. Teams may opt to go with more established veterans and try to stash a younger option on the practice squad.
This will be a prime opportunity for the Steelers to add a player as depth who has the upside of developing a role with the team down the road. No, the Steelers won’t be adding three or more players through cutdowns, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see a claim or two come out after initial rosters are set. With all of that said, here are the five players currently on another team’s roster bubble that the Steelers need to keep an eye on.
Malik Jefferson
The Steelers appear to have struck gold with Devin Bush, but the players behind him leave a lot more questions than answers. At the back end of the depth chart, Robert Spillane appears to be set to take on the Tyler Matakavich role, but he could be supplemented or even replaced by a more athletic player. Enter Malik Jefferson, a former 3rd round pick who has the size and athleticism to be a top option as a depth player.
Jefferson hasn’t shown much on tape as a defender, but his special teams’ ability has been positive. In his rookie year, he played nearly half of the special teams’ snaps for the Bengals and logged 11 total tackles. While Spillane may be the better special teams’ option, he doesn’t have the athleticism to make it as a defender. Jefferson does, albeit he hasn’t proven anything as a defender. At the minimum, he would be a developmental option who can pull his weight on the special teams’ unit.
Even if the Steelers are comfortable with Spillane in his role, adding a player like Jefferson to the practice squad after cutdowns would make sense. The Steelers would be a good place for him to try and work on transitioning to a defender as opposed to just a special teams’ option. At worst though, you can never have enough special teams’ players, so the Steelers adding a player like Jefferson would make a lot of sense.
Justin Ellis
While the Steelers seem set to play Tyson Alualu at NT this season (which appears to be a good fit on paper), they still have a “big” issue behind him in Daniel McCullers. The Steelers could use an upgrade there, and considering it is likely a long shot for a rookie to earn a spot over him, grabbing an established veteran like Justin Ellis if he is released would make sense. Ellis has almost no pass rushing skills (he has .5 career sacks), but he is a vicious run defender who knows how to clog lanes.
Alualu isn’t a bad run defender either but considering the NT position constantly takes on double teams, he would be suited better to man that position in passing situations. Run stopping and goal-line would see Ellis on the field clogging lanes and stuffing runs. While Ellis wouldn’t be a stat monster, he would be better in that role than McCullers, and if Alualu were to go down, the transition between him and Ellis wouldn’t be as severe.
While finding a primary backup at NT may not seem like a pressing need, the Steelers need insurance in case Alualu gets injured or struggles. Ellis would be a cheap fit who could man the role as a run stopper as the Steelers search for their future starting NT in the draft next year. Ellis is good at what he does, and while that skill is less valued in today’s NFL, it is still important to be able to stop the run. If he becomes victim to the Ravens numbers at DL, he could be a prime cut down candidate for the Steelers.
Jacob Hollister
The Steelers made a big offseason addition when they added Eric Ebron to a two-year deal. While the Steelers are high on his red-zone potential, he offers little as a complete TE (by that, he can’t block). The Seahawks have a surplus of TEs after signing Greg Olsen and drafting Colby Parkinson in the draft. With Will Dissly still contending for snaps, a player like Jacob Hollister could be cut at the end of training camp. If that were to happen, the Steelers should be the first caller for the TE’s services.
While the Steelers are set at the position this year, next year could be a different story. Neither Vance McDonald nor Ebron are guaranteed to be on the roster next year due to their salaries, meaning the Steelers could once again be looking to fill that void on the team. Adding Hollister gives them options going into next year. He can do a bit of everything as a TE and became the primary starter for the Seahawks last year when Dissly went to IR. He flashed, putting up 350 yards and three TDs. He was a complete TE as well, serving as a solid blocker for the run game.
Adding Hollister as the third TE would mean the Steelers have a potential backup TE next year. If they opt to keep one of their starters, Hollister would be a fine rotational option and starter in case of injury. The Steelers haven’t had consistency since Heath Miller retired at the position, so adding a player that can at least serve as a consistent second option could be important for the Steelers.
Sidney Jones
Sidney Jones was a highly touted CB prospect once, but a severe injury caused him to slip into the middle rounds of the 2017 draft. While he has seen about a third of the snaps on defense since healing, he has failed to carve out a significant role for the Eagles. Considering the Steelers already have two established boundary CBs, adding a solid backup in Jones would be a wise move if he becomes available.
Jones had arguably his best season as a pro last year, logging two interceptions in four starts for the Eagles. That said, with the recent CB additions, he is now firmly on the roster bubble. While the Steelers are set atop the depth chart, they have a few questions at their depth positions. As well, Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton are set to be free agents next year, meaning the Steelers will need to add more dept options to keep this unit strong.
The biggest issue with Jones is that he has limited special teams’ ability. As a depth player, he will need to see more time on return units in order to make the squad. More than likely though, the Eagles may have been preserving him from another serious injury. If that’s the case, the Steelers could try him out on a couple of their units. At worst though, he could be a primary backup at outside CB and keep the depth at DB strong.
Dorance Armstrong
The Steelers have a fearsome duo at OLB, but the depth is a big unknown entering the season. While the Steelers did draft Alex Highsmith, he will likely need a season to develop before being trusted fully as the top backup. Currently on the Cowboys roster is Dorance Armstrong, a former draft pick who may end up being a cut due to the numbers game at DE in Dallas. Armstrong has flashed in limited attempts, racking up 2.5 sacks in two years as a rotational piece.
As well, he has proven himself on special teams, logging 198 snaps on special teams last season in Dallas. That means that while he can serve as a rotational defender, he can also earn a gameday helmet as a special team’s player. While he wouldn’t knock Highsmith or even Olasunkanmi Adeniyi off the roster. Instead, Tuzar Skipper would likely revert back to the practice squad and Armstrong could serve in his spot this year.
Armstrong looks the part of a top backup and potentially even a spot starter. If the Cowboys opt to cut him in favor of the other DE’s they have, Armstrong would be a strong addition to an already good defense. Long term, he could be a rotational pass rusher and special teams’ standout. Keep an eye on Armstrong, as he could be a strong late offseason addition for the Steelers.
While the Steelers are working on finalizing their own roster, they need to be keeping an eye on other teams’ roster bubbles. Cut day is coming sooner than later, and while the Steelers have a complete roster, they can always add more talent. While none of these names would be counted on for a huge contribution in 2020, they all could find roles with the Steelers in the future.