3 reasons Robert Spillane could be a surprise cut by the Steelers in 2021

Roster spot could be used on a Steelers player with more upside

Assuming Danny Smith believes the Steelers could get very similar special teams play out of one of the young guys on the team in Spillane’s stead, this becomes an intriguing option. Players like Marcus Allen and Ulysees Gilbert III are younger and significantly more athletic than Spillane, yet at least one of them almost certainly misses the cut for the final 53-man roster this year now that Joe Schobert is on the team.

Because Spillane doesn’t have much to offer, the Steelers may want to think twice about how they want to use the roster spot he would be taking up. While I don’t believe Spillane is simply a waste of a helmet (thanks largely to his special teams value), it’s going to cost them hanging onto a young player somewhere on their roster.

This spot doesn’t even necessarily have to be used to reserve a linebacker. Instead, it could be used to keep an extra defensive lineman or a young, promising cornerback like Mark Gilbert – who is likely just outside the top 53 at the moment. These are things the team has to consider.

At the end of the day, I’m certainly going to predict that Spillane still makes the final roster, but his performance this summer couldn’t have been much worse. From what we’ve seen from him, I’d be surprised if Spillane gets much playing time on defense this year unless an injury occurs.