With the NFL offseason winding down, here are four Steelers players who could see a demotion on the initial depth chart.
The NFL season is getting ever closer, and as the preseason wraps up, the Steelers depth chart appears more set each day. With camp wrapped up and one final preseason game upcoming, the team should have a pretty good idea as to who will make up their 53-man roster.
Based on some surprisingly solid play, and some offseason disappointment from perceived starters, these former players may see themselves move down the roster. Here are the four Steelers that could be facing a demotion once the regular season starts.
Steelers Ray-Ray McCloud
Moving up: Matthew Sexton
While Ray-Ray McCloud was a surprising late-season addition last year, he was a key reason the return game got back on track. Before him, a myriad of mediocre players such as Ryan Switzer was holding this unit back. McCloud changed all that, and while his offensive production wasn’t immense, he was a gadget player that was seemingly set to build off of that role with the addition of Matt Canada as the offensive coordinator.
While he hasn’t done much to hurt his roster odds, he also has seen offseason addition Matthew Sexton make a significant push as a return option. While Sexton hasn’t touched the ball on offense, he has averaged an impressive 29.3 yards on three punt returns. While a similar player to McCloud, Sexton has better straight-line speed. If he continues to show out as a returner and can make some sort of an impact on offense in the final preseason game, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him leap McCloud en route to a roster spot.
Steelers Robert Spillane
Moving up: Buddy Johnson
There may be no better example of a player falling out of favor with the Steelers this offseason than with Robert Spillane. He went from co-starting off-ball linebacker to the only starter (once Vince Williams retired). Add in his solid play from 2020 and it seemed as though he could really take off as a good defender for the team this season. His offseason seemingly peaked there though, as the rest of the season has been downhill for Spillane.
Putrid play over the first two preseason games led to the team trading for veteran Joe Schobert. While the cost to get Schobert wasn’t immense, and the team likely would have been willing to add him even if Spillane wasn’t struggling as he was, it seems as though the team has quickly made up their mind as to who will start out of the two. Schobert has received all of the hype as of late and it seems as though he will play the majority of snaps next to Devin Bush.
The fall hasn’t stopped there though. While Spillane is a fine backup, his struggles during the offseason have raised enough concerns that a different defender may take on his role. Buddy Johnson has looked great during the preseason, flashing his athleticism and run-stopping ability early and often. While he needs to take a few steps to develop into a complete linebacker, he certainly could become a great two-down backer for the team. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him leapfrog Spillane at this point, as Spillane’s have really shot him in his foot.
Steelers Chukwuma Okorafor
Moving up: Dan Moore
While there was a lot of hope that Chukwuma Okorafor would make some strides entering a contract year, his miserable camp and preseason have left many doubting the viability of him being a decent starter for the Steelers. An injury kept him out early in camp and when he returned, his play was never better than average. Now, the team expects him to protect the blindside of Ben Roethlisberger in what could very well be his final season despite some serious questions about his ability as a blocker.
On the flip side, Dan Moore has been one of the brightest standouts in all of the NFL’s rookie offensive line class. While the fourth-round pick is very much a developmental prospect still, he has flashed good technique and power so far in camp. He has regularly been one of the highest graded linemen during preseason games and has yet to give up a pressure through the preseason. Many fans are beginning to wonder if it should be Moore getting the first look at left tackle due to his superior play in camp so far.
While Moore has his share of faults still as a rookie, mainly the fact that he gets beat by speed rushers relatively easily, he has outplayed Okorafor so far in camp. While the team may roll with the veteran for week one, expect him to be on a very short leash as the season progresses. Moore has exceeded all expectations so far, and there is a real chance he ascends to starter sooner rather than later.
Steelers Cameron Sutton
Moving up: James Pierre
Let me get this straight before anyone misinterprets this: Cameron Sutton is a good player, and I do believe he has inside/outside flexibility as a cornerback. That said, his body type and sharp instincts make him a better slot corner despite his ability to cover on the outside. While the Steelers could certainly play him in both roles, it would be far easier for him to focus on just one job if they have another capable outside corner.
By all accounts, James Pierre is set to take on a significant role for the Steelers this season. He was hyped up coming into camp and hasn’t disappointed since taking the field during the offseason. The initial expectation was for Pierre to play outside in dime while Sutton resumed his role as the sixth defensive back (a hybrid corner/safety/linebacker) since he has played so well. He has since been upgraded to likely playing on the outside in nickel as well now.
At the rate this is going, there may be a reason to just announce Pierre as the full-time starter on the outside and allow Sutton to be the main slot cornerback. Having an elite slot cornerback is valuable to any team, and Sutton could realistically crack the top five slot players if he dedicated himself to the position. He would still be a starter and would play well over 75 percent of the defensive snaps on the year. On the flip side, he wouldn’t have to wear too many shoes and could focus on covering players on the inside only. Week one will likely see Sutton on the outside before he moves to the slot, but if Pierre can hold up, it may make the most sense to keep Sutton on the inside permanently.
While some of these players have had strong camps, the fact remains that the Steelers need to field the best complete roster in 2021 if they want to remain competitive. While these players were considered starters before training camp, they may see their names move around the depth chart more due to others making a stronger push for a role on the team in 2021.