Making the Pittsburgh Steelers' 53-man roster is one thing, but sticking around for an entire season is an entirely different accomplishment. There are several players on the team who could struggle to hold onto their spot on the depth chart this year.
With Week 1 of the season about to kick off against the Atlanta Falcons, these Steelers must perform well, or they could struggle to retain their job.
On paper, Pittsburgh should have a relatively easy path to victory against a Falcons team that is missing quality pieces in their lineup. With that said, these are opponents the club has overlooked in the past. Different guys on the Steelers roster cannot afford to get off to a negative note on the season. A poor performance against Atlanta could get them benched or become part of roster cuts.
5 Pittsburgh Steelers who could become a roster cut or depth chart demotion with a poor season opener
Dylan Cook
Since Max Iheanachor missed too much time this summer, it was clear that Dylan Cook would win the starting right tackle job out of convenience. That being said, expect Iheanachor to get the starting gig if Cook shows any signs of weakness to start the year. It only makes sense for the first-round prospect to eventually take over.
This all comes down to when Cook gets pushed down the depth chart, not if.
Roman Wilson
Although he has Aaron Rodgers on his side going into the campaign, the Steelers need to see some in-game explosiveness from Roman Wilson. This is the wide receiver's third year since getting drafted in the third round, and he has yet to prove himself. Any sort of mental mistakes could get him back in the doghouse. The club is depending on Wilson to make plays while Germie Bernard develops.
Rayshawn Jenkins
Producing a strong summer got Rayshawn Jenkins onto the Steelers' 53-man roster, but that doesn't mean he isn't safe from becoming a cut candidate. He must prove his worth each week this season, and Week 1 will be a massive test for the veteran. Without DeShon Elliott in the lineup, Jenkins will be the starter until Elliott returns. Any sort of struggle from Jenkins will put Pittsburgh in a tough spot.
Spencer Anderson
He slid under the radar throughout training camp and the preseason to become the clear starting right guard in the trenches. The Steelers don't have many other options to take over Spencer Anderson's top spot on the depth chart, but if he struggles, they might look elsewhere.
Both Brock Hoffman and Gennings Dunker will try to vie for playing time, and it'll be up to Anderson to keep them on the bench.
Kaden Wetjen
Despite his punt return touchdown during the preseason finale, Kaden Wetjen remains a question mark moving forward. Don't forget the fumble that he almost lost during the summer, which was a near disaster. If Wetjen struggles as a returner, he could become a massive problem on the roster. Locating a stable returner in the NFL shouldn't be hard to find if they are forced to cut the rookie.
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