The Steelers are about to play in their first preseason game of 2022 and the final 53-man roster could end up like this.
The Steelers will be preparing for their first preseason game as it quickly approaches later this week. They will be facing the Seattle Seahawks, who are having a new turn of direction in the organization without their longtime starter at quarterback just like Pittsburgh. These two clubs might share that same concern, but the black and gold are in better shape to handle that adversity.
The first game of their preseason schedule will happen this Saturday at 7 P.M. It should be a fun time as football will be back on TV with many fans clamoring for the sport. These players in the game will have even more desire to go out and prove themselves to make this team.
Right now, there are a lot of positions up for grabs — both on the depth chart and to make this final roster for the regular season. It is going to be interesting to see how some of these players translate the results in practice during training camp and apply it to a game situation. It will help coaches make their decisions going forward.
The Specialists will stay the same for the Steelers
Specialists (3): Chris Boswell, Pressley Harvin III, Christian Kuntz
Chris Boswell just signed an extension with Pittsburgh, and he will not be going anywhere. The only way his future with the club comes into question is if he cannot keep going at his current output or falls off a cliff. He has been one of the best kickers in the NFL over the last handful of years and deserves some respect from fans.
Pressley Harvin III struggled last season, but he will have every chance to get his game back on track. There is little to no competition for him in camp and that should keep this special teams group together for the Steelers. Christian Kuntz did a nice job as the long snapper last season, and he will continue with that deployment in 2022.
Do not overthink the quarterback position on the Steelers roster
Quarterbacks (3): Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett
Mitch Trubisky is going to be the starter for at least the beginning of the season. What happens after that for the Steelers quarterback spot will be up to this player and the others on the roster to decide. The team seems content with giving Trubisky every shot to be the main guy for this year, but they will not shy away from doing what is best for the club. He will make this team despite having a slow start to camp, but he is starting to get things together recently.
Mason Rudolph makes the roster again; this happens after some recent chatter about what his future might hold. The black and gold decide to keep this player on the roster that knows the offense and is good enough to be a depth piece on the team. He could always demand a way out if he does not win the starting spot, but that does not seem likely to happen yet either.
Kenny Pickett was the first-round pick by the Steelers, but many still do not know what his role will be during this season. Unless he starts blowing people away in practice and Trubisky falls flat on his face, this rookie will need to wait his turn to start. He seems to be starting to put things together in practice now after having a rough go of things to start training camp. He should start some games this year but that will all depend on how the starter in front of him plays.
Steelers return with the same stable of running backs as last year
Running back/full back (4): Najee Harris, Benny Snell Jr., Anthony McFarland Jr., Derek Watt
This is where things could potentially get interesting for the Steelers roster between now and cut-down day. Running back is not the deepest position as Najee Harris has little depth behind him to help his workload. A free agent that potentially gets cut by another club still might be the way to go now.
Harris is the main back for this team and will be a star in the NFL for a while. His role is expanding on this club as a leader and his future looks bright with Pittsburgh. The hope was to get some of the wear and tear off his metaphorical tires so to speak but that does not seem like a possibility now.
Benny Snell Jr. makes the cut again as there really has not been any quality competition to come in and threaten his job security. That could change as training camp motors a long, but his job seems secure now. The third string back seems like the spot is truly up for grabs now for the Steelers.
Anthony McFarland Jr. gets that spot right now as he is having a decent preseason thus far. Watching him put it all together during a game will be his make-or-break moment. Do not count out Jaylen Warren, especially if he keeps producing at his current output, he is starting to catch the eyes of coaches. Derek Watt will be back this season as he plays solid special teams snaps.
Steelers end up cutting one of their offseason additions at receiver
Receiver (6): Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Chase Claypool, Calvin Austin III, Miles Boykin, Anthony Miller
The three starters on offense have become abundantly clear for the Steelers. Their initial depth chart seems secure with Diontae Johnson and George Pickens lining up on the outside receiver’s spots with Chase Claypool in the slot. That will be their opening day starters and that is a nice trio.
The depth at receiver is where this group’s true strength peaks. Calvin Austin III is having a great camp and has shown that he needs to be implemented into this offense one way or another. Miles Boykin is a nice depth piece on the outside and Anthony Miller beats out Gunner Olszewski for the last receiver spot. Miller has been showing nice things on special teams and has a great ability at the receiver position as well.
Tight end (3): Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry, Connor Heyward
Pat Freiermuth is a young star for this league, and he will be a Steelers player for a long time. He should be able to take a nice leap forward in his second season and become a top player at his position in the NFL. Zach Gentry will be the second tight end on this roster and that is a nice one-two punch at the position.
The third string spot is where things could get interesting for Pittsburgh. Connor Heyward seems to be the early favorite as he brings grit and position versatility with him. It will come down to either him or Kevin Rader taking the last spot but expect it to be Heyward unless something dramatically changes.
Steelers decide to keep position versatility at offensive line
Offensive line (9): Dan Moore Jr. Kevin Dotson, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chuks Okorafor, Kendrick Green, Joe Haeg, John Leglue, J.C. Hassenauer
Right now, the starting offensive line seems to be set for the most part, besides left guard. Dan Moore Jr. will be the returning left tackle for the Steelers and he has been getting rave reviews at camp thus far. Mason Cole seems to have secured the starting center spot as the club hopes that he can stabilize the position.
James Daniels will be the starting right guard after upgrading the position during free agency. Right tackle will be Chuks Okorafor again after he was brought back in free agency after initially testing the waters. Left guard is where things could get interesting as Kevin Dotson and Kendrick Green have been listed as the dual starters on the first depth chart released to the public.
That is interesting as Green has seemingly been in the doghouse in Pittsburgh since he started at center in his rookie season. He will have a better chance to start for this team than many thought. Dotson seems like he should have the fast track to start, but he has had injury issues in the past and other concerns with his play.
The depth filling out this roster is based on some position flexibility as well. Joe Haeg is the swing tackle and provides some depth, although you would like better if you were the Steelers. John Leglue makes the team as he has been hard at work trying to show position versatility at tackle, guard, and center in camp. J.C. Hassenauer has been able to play both center and guard with starting experience and should make this club because of that.
Defensive line is a pretty straightforward position for the Steelers
Defensive line (7): Cam Heyward, Tyson Alualu, Larry Ogunjobi, Chris Wormley, Isaiahh Loudermilk, DeMarvin Leal, Montravius Adams
The defensive line seems like one of the more cut-and-dry groups for the Steelers when it comes to this roster construction. They keep seven here, but they could always look to keep eight players. This is a solid group that will be able to improve what they displayed last season, which saw them struggle against the run.
As of now, the biggest concern for this group is the health of some big pieces. Tyson Alualu and Larry Ogunjobi just returned to practice after struggling with some nagging injury issues. That will hopefully be behind them as the defense desperately needs their services to right the ship for this defense against the run.
Cam Heyward will be the returning starter as he continues to play at an All-pro level for Pittsburgh. The depth behind them is solid as well with a variety of youth and experienced veterans. Chris Wormely will have a role to play for this defense, especially with his pass rush abilities.
Montravius Adams will be the backup Nose tackle behind Alualu and he displayed some nice play at the end of last year. Isaiahh Loudermilk had a nice conclusion to his rookie campaign and should have a growing role for the Steelers as the season pushes further. It looks like DeMarvin Leal will be getting a redshirt year as he looks to fill out his frame more before expanding his role.
Steelers stick with their guys on the current roster instead of free agents
Outside linebacker (4): T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Genard Avery, Derrek Tuszka
The two starters at outside linebacker are self-explanatory when it comes to why they make the team. T.J. Watt is a franchise player that could end up in Canton at his current trajectory. Alex Highsmith is coming back for his second season as the starter, and he seems in store for a big year ahead of him.
The depth behind those two is where issues could arise, especially if injury occurs. Genard Avery looks like he will be the third outside linebacker on this team, despite not having the most successful NFL career to this point. Derrek Tuszka played well down the stretch to conclude 2021 and that should help him secure a roster spot this season with the Steelers.
Inside linebacker (5): Myles Jack, Devin Bush, Robert Spillane, Buddy Johnson, Mark Robinson
Inside linebacker is a position where the Steelers could still make some moves when it comes to the positioning of the depth. Robert Spillane is pushing Devin Bush for his starting spot and that says more about Bush than Spillane. Myles Jack has been turning heads in practices on the fields of Latrobe and should be the top dog in the middle.
Buddy Johnson has not been getting many rave reviews like he was when football was being played in shorts. That is a little disappointing, but he will still make the roster when it is all said and done. Mark Robinson has been having a good camp thus far and that could catapult him onto the team, which many did not expect to happen. Marcus Allen has been battling an injury to this point and that will open the door for Robinson.
Steelers cornerback has some wiggle room
Cornerback (5): Ahkello Witherspoon, Levi Wallace, Cam Sutton, James Pierre, Arthur Maulet
Cornerback has a couple of openings at the bottom of the roster that are still being jostled for. Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace will be the starters on the outside, despite Wallace missing a lot of practice at this point. Cam Sutton will be the starter at slot corner and he has been one of the best in the NFL.
Depth behind them is still being fought for and that battle has a long road ahead of it. There seem to be one or two spots open at corner and James Pierre and Arthur Maulet make the final two spots in the scenario. Pierre is slow, but he needs to find consistency moving forward. He also plays special teams well so that helped him stick. Maulet will provide depth at the inside corner spot behind Sutton as he brings starting experience.
Safety (4): Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Tre Norwood, Damontae Kazee
Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds return as one of the best safety duos in the league. The Steelers are lucky to have them, and they should be able to stabilize the newly formed group in the back of the defense. The depth behind them is one of the strongest in recent memory and should create some surprise cuts when the time comes.
Tre Norwood is coming back after a solid outing for his rookie campaign. He will earn a hat on Sundays via special teams as he should also find some playing time in certain defensive packages. Damontae Kazee sticks around as he can play at multiple spots in the secondary and that made for other players to become expendable.
The Steelers still have a long way ago in regards to their talent evaluation process. This is only the start of the pre-season schedule as these players try to separate themselves from their teammates.