Predicting the roster odds of the Steelers eight undrafted free agents

Steelers Lamont Wade

Roster odds: 10%

Lamont Wade has one thing going for him at this point: he compares favorably to former Steelers’ slot cornerback Mike Hilton. Both are physical run defenders who are only ok in coverage (Wade being the worse of the two right now). He is extremely undersized as a defender, and his athletic measurables are pretty putrid. A lot of those issues could be disguised in the slot, but Wade has a lot to prove before being handed that role.

For starters, there are quite a few slot options ahead of Wade right now, chief among them Arthur Maulet and Cameron Sutton, assuming Sutton reverts to the slot in three cornerback sets. Even some of the other undrafted free agents likely rank higher than Wade does at this point. By all accounts, he will have to dominate in camp in order to make the roster.

Honestly, the comparison to Hilton may end up being a hindrance more than a help. Hilton was dynamic in the Steelers’ secondary, but that was because he was so good in run defense that the team could use him in a unique role that only he could fill. While Wade has some similarities, it seems unlikely he is as good as Hilton was. It will be hard to justify him staying on the roster if that is the case, as Hilton was such a uniquely good player for the team. Wade could take a year on the practice squad to become more well-rounded, but his odds of making the roster outright don’t seem great.