The Steelers just released their first depth chart of the pre-season and there were some eye-opening things on it.
The first depth chart was released about a week ago as the team gets ready for their slate of pre-season games ahead of them. There are a ton of eye-opening listings on the Steelers first release of this important bit of information. This allows for everyone to see where the coaching staff places these players at the current moment in time.
Even though the list has been sent out to the public, do not get too attached to it. Things change all the time during the pre-season and the battles for positioning on this roster are still in full effect. Players still have time to prove their worth and get back into a starting role while others could drop off between now and the regular season.
Pittsburgh will be releasing more iterations of their depth chart as the pre-season goes along. It could even change during the regular season if the coaches see fit. This is just the start for these players trying to make the club or trying to become starters. They will need to keep up the hard work that they have displayed thus far.
Steelers will have their top three receivers lined up as it looks now
The top three receivers are something that many fans wondered what the resolution would be. The Steelers have listed both Diontae Johnson and George Pickens as the starters on the outside. Chase Claypool has become the slot receiver and he should be an interesting mismatch in that role on offense.
That seems like a formidable trio on offense, and it is somewhat surprising that the coaches already listed Pickens as a starter. That is not a common thing to happen for rookies on this team. The other notable thing was that Anthony Miller was listed ahead of Gunner Olszewski, which is something to monitor as the pre-season chugs along.
Cam Sutton is listed as one of the starting outside corners for the Steelers
The cornerback position is one full of youth that the club has not seen in many years. Both Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace have been penciled in as the starting outside corners up to this point, but the initial depth chart is leaning towards another direction. The best ability in football is your availability and that has changed things around for the time being.
Both Witherspoon and Wallace inked nearly identical deals during free agency which ties them with Pittsburgh for the next two years. Neither has ever been a constant number one corner for an NFL defense, but that will have to change this year. The coaches are expecting a lot from both, and one will need to emerge as the top dog.
Wallace has been sidelined for a good majority of training camp with an illness, which has led to others getting opportunities. Cam Sutton and James Pierre seem to have been benefiting most from his absence when it comes to where different snaps are split up. Sutton is the best corner that the Steelers have on defense, but he will probably be used primarily in the slot.
As of now, the black and gold have listed Wallace and Witherspoon tied as one of the outside corners. Sutton was listed as the other outside corner on this defense. It just seems like the coaches did that for now so Wallace comes back and must prove himself into that other starting spot because Sutton will be the slot corner they want.
Left guard is more of a competition than many had thought
Many did not expect left guard to be in consideration when it came to a new starter at that spot. Some thought that Kendrick Green would be shunned into a depth role or maybe have a shot at competing at center before guard became a realistic scenario. The coaching staff seems to be holding onto hope that if he can go back to his natural spot at guard, and his NFL career will turn around.
There is some logic behind the Steelers train of thought, but it will still take a steep uphill climb for Green to become a starter. Kevin Dotson has been the left guard for this offensive line for a while now, despite some injury concerns hampering his career to this point. He has been a serviceable starter for this front, but his health is starting to become an issue.
Dotson and Green have been listed as the co-starters at left guard for Pittsburgh and that is a huge eye-opener. Many did not expect Green to be at this point on the depth chart this early into the pre-season. This should light a fire beneath Dotson, or he will lose his starting spot.
This will be an interesting battle to watch throughout the remainder of camp and the pre-season schedule. These two will be fighting for one starting role in the offensive trenches and the better man will win. Dotson has not been a coach’s favorite player, whereas Green seems to have a fan in Mike Tomlin.
Devin Bush could lose his starting spot if he is not careful
Devin Bush has been the talk of the town for this football team since the conclusion of last year. He had a tough season that showed him struggling to come back from a prior season-ending knee injury. That poor campaign led to him having his fifth-year option declined by the Steelers and now he needs to prove himself to get another contract in the league.
The NFL has not been kind to this undersized linebacker that relied on his speed to make plays. For whatever reason, things have just not worked out since he got to the Steel City. Myles Jack was brought in to be a complimentary piece starting alongside Bush, but that might not happen either.
Jack has been the best middle linebacker on the fields of Latrobe. He has been all over the place, but there has been not too much to report about Bush to this point. Robert Spillane is back and might just be making a push to jump Bush into a starting role if things stay on their current trajectory.
The initial depth chart listed Bush and Spillane as the co-starters opposite of Jack in the middle of the Steelers defense. That was surprising as many did not think Spillane would be able to push for the starting spot. It says more about the lack of ability Bush is not showing rather than the work ethic Spillane brings with him.
The Steelers quarterback competition is starting to take shape
This is where most eyes have been locked in when you look at the initial depth chart and for good reason. Quarterback is the most important position in football and the Steelers have an open competition, at least that is what they claim. There is an obvious front-runner for the job, and he will likely have that role at the beginning of the season at least.
Mitch Trubisky was signed during free agency to be the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh, at least for the start of the schedule. His future at that spot will be determined by how well he performs on Sundays. His role and performance with the team thus far has garnered him the top spot on the depth chart for now.
There have been many reports that he was basically promised the starting job before camp even began. Mason Rudolph keeps the backup role for now as he was listed behind Trubisky. He really has no shot at winning the starting job and he could lose the second-string spot before camp finishes.
Kenny Pickett was the Steelers first-round pick this year and he sits as the third-string arm. He is starting to put things together in camp after a tough start at Saint Vincent College. Pickett should be able to continue his growth and eventually become the second stringer or better yet, the eventual starter.
The Steelers still have a lot of work ahead of them before their final depth chart is released heading into the season. That time will be crucial for some players in tough position battles.