The Steelers will have some tough decisions to make and these players could be on the chopping block.
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter this year without many expectations yet again. They have been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons prior to their embarkation into 2022. It will be a wild ride that could see many different faces that have become familiar to some fans being gone.
Players have retired or gone onto other teams this past offseason, so a lot of work has been done. This roster is very different compared to what they were when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card game. They have new starters and fresh faces entering the fold that brings along a new era of Steelers football.
The pre-season is always an exciting time as football is starting to come back. Games start being played and the smack of the pads will echo in Latrobe once more. With the pre-season comes roster moves that will ultimately see players have their careers in Pittsburgh end as new talent joins the fold.
Derek Watt could be replaced by Connor Heyward
Derek Watt is a high cap hit, especially for a fullback in today’s NFL. He does not have much of a role on offense, but he has become one of the best special team players on the team since joining the black and gold. Pittsburgh drafted Connor Heyward in the sixth round, and we will see two siblings of different defensive stars battle in camp.
Heyward has the versatility to play tight end, some running back, and special teams as well as fullback. That is already putting Watt behind the eight-ball, but the team could always keep both depending on how the roster shakes out. Both play similar roles and that could lead to Watt being cut if the rookie beats him out.
Henry Mondeaux won’t make a crowded group at defensive line
Henry Mondeaux is just a couple of seasons removed from what seemed to be a promising year in 2020. He played a depth role that made it seem like the Steelers might be comfortable with expanding his role in the future. That never really materialized in 2021 and he now sits in a limbo state.
The defensive line group has become crowded, assuming Stephon Tuitt is returning for this season. It is a talented group that has great depth behind their starters. There was already an uphill battle for Mondeaux to climb during the pre-season before the black and gold drafted a defensive end in the third round.
DeMarvin Leal was the Steelers third-round pick in the draft. He is a solid player and was of great value at that point of the event. He has some good pass-rush ability and could turn into a great player with some more seasoning.
Mondeaux was singled out in this article, but there will be other players at the position that will miss out on this roster. It is a deep group full of experienced and young players that will become starters in the NFL. That will leave players like him looking for other opportunities or sticking around on the practice squad.
Anthony McFarland Jr. won’t win a job with the Steelers in 2022
Anthony McFarland Jr. is two years removed from being selected in the fourth round by the Steelers. Things have not materialized for this player as he struggled to stay healthy at points and has not found the field. For one reason or another, this running back has not been able to carve out a role on this team either at his position or on special teams.
He has been a healthy inactive countless times and that could spell disaster for his future employment with this franchise. He was billed as a shifty and fast running back that could catch and run with the ball. He has only shown a glimpse or two of that a couple of times.
McFarland is at the biggest point of his career as it could all slide away soon. He has been on the team without many challengers for his roster spot, but he needs to show more in his growth as a player. The team needs a complementary back behind Najee Harris, and he could carve out a role there if he shows enough.
Not many people thought the Steelers would select a running back in the draft, and they did not. They waited until undrafted free agency to bring some fresh blood into the fold. Some of those backs had great careers in college and could push for the last two running back spots that McFarland and Benny Snell Jr. will also be vying for.
Marcus Allen will be the odd man out in the linebacker group
Marcus Allen has been a trooper for the Steelers during his tenure with the club. He has gone from being drafted as a safety and turned into a hybrid-type linebacker. Starting snaps were hard to come by for him, but he did play some when injuries started hampering the team a couple of seasons ago.
One of the best things about this player is his play on special teams. Many people do not look at that enough, but the Steelers keep a close eye on that phase of football. He is not going to do great if he must start, but if your fourth-string linebacker is on the field, there are worse problems afoot.
The linebacker group for this team has some good depth pieces on the roster behind their starters. Devin Bush and Myles Jack are the two starters this year and seem to be set for a solid season as a duo. Robert Spillane and Buddy Johnson look to be the favorites to secure depth roles during the final roster cuts.
Not only will Allen struggle to make the team, but so will other players like Ulysees Gilbert III. They need to show that they are just as good as Spillane is on the field and stand out on special teams. That will give these bottom-of-the-depth chart players a real shot to make the club.
Mason Rudolph will need to win a spot in the Steelers quarterback room
Is this a real possibility? The short answer to that is yes as Mason Rudolph has quickly gone from the anointed starter to someone that could be off the squad soon. The addition of Mitch Trubisky in free agency and the drafting of Kenny Pickett quickly shoved this player down to the third string.
The Steelers followed those moves by drafting another quarterback in the seventh round, Chris Oladokun. That might not seem significant but taking a player for an extra arm in the pre-season seems a little farfetched. This could potentially spell disaster for this veteran signal-caller and his chances of making the team.
The club has always claimed that the starting spot will be an open competition between the quarterbacks on the roster. That is true, but the only real options seem to be either Trubisky or Pickett. Rudolph has fallen off the shortlist of starters for this club.
He is not very mobile and that will go against what Matt Canada wants from his quarterbacks as he implements his offense. Oladokun will have to prove himself, but he fits the scheme better and could push Rudolph off this roster when it is said and done. Rudolph would be a good option as the third-string quarterback with his amount of experience in the NFL.
The Steelers will have to make tough decisions when it is time to make final cuts official. Luckily the team and their players have a lot of time to show what they got before those final decisions are made.