4 Steelers tumbling down depth charts during the preseason

Steelers Justin Layne

Another corner on the losers list from the Hall of Fame game was Justin Layne. The former third-round pick has struggled heavily since being drafted, but he had a chance to secure a pseudo starter role due to the departures at cornerback in the offseason. His camp had been pretty quiet so far, but the competition between both him and James Pierre certainly was favoring the latter.

Pierre showed up well during the first preseason game, but Layne was another story. He wasn’t horrible, but he was a step behind in coverage and definitely didn’t look like he was ready to start. The improvements that were needed clearly weren’t there this offseason. He could still serve as a special team’s player, but even that role isn’t promised to him at this point.

Both Mark Gilbert and Stephen Denmark showed up on defense during that first game. They both had some key pass breakups and held their own in coverage. Brown showed up on special teams as well, indicating that Layne may not have much of a spot on the depth chart. Layne has the draft pedigree, but he has failed to live up to expectations. At this point, he seems like he is on the outside looking in terms of a roster spot.