The Steelers roster is full of many unproven players, which will lead to many being underrated heading into the season.
With youth comes a lot of questions and concerns that surround your football team. That trend has hit the Steelers, and many do not think that they can make the playoffs at the moment. The young bucks on this club are unproven in the NFL, but that does not always spell disaster.
Sometimes a fresh new perspective and turning the page onto a new chapter is what needs to happen. That could be the case with this team as they hope to stay in contention for now and into the future. Getting experience will help this roster grow into their roles more than any preparation could ever give them.
There are some returning starters from last year as well that could play a different role on this team. It has been interesting to see how the depth chart is being rolled out at training camp to this point. There are many players that are flying under the radar for the black and gold that could have big seasons.
Connor Heyward could have a bigger role on the Steelers than many expect
Connor Heyward was a late-round pick by Pittsburgh in the 2022 NFL Draft. He worked his tail off at the collegiate level by molding into a hybrid role for that team. He was able to adapt his game and show that he can play multiple positions.
Many expect him to make the roster, but his camp to this point has been making him stand out among his teammates. His position flexibility and special teams awareness should get him some playing time. Perhaps he will even have a specific role on offense to play during his rookie year.
Damontae Kazee could be a starter on other teams
One of the signings that went under the radar during the Steelers frenzy of moves was Damontae Kazee. It is crazy to think that at one point of the offseason that Miles Killebrew was the only other safety on the roster other than Minkah Fitzpatrick. That changed quickly as the offseason continued to progress further.
Eventually, Terrell Edmunds was brought back in a move that many did not expect that happen. That started to begin the security blanket for this defense in regard to their starters. Then came the news of another free agent signing after the draft.
Kazee was brought onto the defense to bring some depth into the safety room. He can also provide depth across the secondary in a couple of different roles. Not only could he provide depth, but he could always create a bigger role for himself if he does well enough during the pre-season.
It was a wise decision by the Steelers to make this signing happen on a cheap deal that links him to the city for at least this year. He has been a proven starting caliber player in the NFL for a while now. He should be able to do well for this team in a variety of roles throughout the schedule.
Zach Gentry should have a bigger role in 2022 for the Steelers
Not many people even think about the second tight end on a roster. That point becomes even more so when you have a young star at the position like the Steelers do with Pat Freiermuth. These two will pack a nice one-two punch together with the hope of being one of the best in the NFL.
Freiermuth is the guy that many will be keeping a close eye on this season. Many expect him to become one of the best at his position with more targets going his way. Tight ends are normally the safety blankets for quarterbacks, even more so with new guys still learning the offense.
The backup at the position will be Zach Gentry and the team seems to believe that he could be a Matt Spaeth kind of player going forward. That would be great as Spaeth was a nice blocker that helped the offensive line during his days with the club. That would be a great piece to have moving forward that could also take some of the pressure off Freiermuth.
It is crazy to think how far this player has come ever since being drafted out of Michigan. He has worked hard on his game and slowly developed into the player that he currently is. Gentry is finally the player that the Steelers imagined him as when they took a developmental player in the late rounds of the draft years ago.
Chris Wormley is getting little attention with other players returning
The defensive line was decimated last season other than for Cam Heyward trying to hold down the fort. The Steelers lost Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu early into the season, without Tuitt for the entire year. It was a tough pill to swallow, and the run defense paid for those absences.
It led to Chris Wormley getting a shot at becoming every down starter for the defense. That brought mixed results with it as the veteran had been mostly a backup or role player up to that point in his career. He was able to help set some career highs in different categories while also negating run defense with his teammates.
This was one of the worst run defenses in franchise history for the black and gold. Wormely struggled in that department as well and saw some warts show. He did blossom and show his pass rush abilities as he totaled seven sacks, a career-high.
Alualu is getting the most buzz, as well as Larry Ogunjobi, as becoming the starters opposite of Cam Heyward heading into the preseason. That narrative has started to change some as both Alualu and Ogunjobi have missed time with injury thus far in camp. That has opened the door for Wormley to get every chance to reclaim a starting spot or at least a big role for this defense.
Calvin Austin III should be able to carve out a role for himself on offense
The Steelers seemed to have a decent depth chart at receiver when they took George Pickens in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. That did not seem to suffice the team as they decided to double dip at the position in the same event. They were considered nice valued picks by Pittsburgh at the time, and it could pay off.
Calvin Austin III was their fourth-round pick this year and he was labeled as a fast and shifty receiver. He played in the slot a good amount in college and could start there and provide depth as well. Based on the reports coming out of Latrobe, he will be etching a role for himself on offense one way or another.
This receiving group is competitive and will have a ton of talent throughout it. The depth there looks to rival the groups they have had over the last five years or so. Austin is only a puzzle piece added to this room that could be a starter for other clubs.
It looks like the Steelers are going with newly re-signed Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Chase Claypool as the top three guys. They all will provide for a nice group, but Austin will be nipping at their heels with every opportunity he gets. He has been explosive in practice and that should translate over the game day soon enough.
The Steelers have a lot of youth on this team that will need to prove themselves. There are some players that are flying under the radar that could shock people when it is all said and done.