It was a fast and fun start to the preseason that only got sloppier as time went on. That said, the Pittsburgh Steelers saw what they needed out of their backups and are now ready to trim their roster to the initial 53 players.
While the crux of this post will involve the players I think will make it, I did want to add that I think three players will ultimately land on injured reserve. Those players are Will Howard, Calvin Anderson, and Cory Trice Jr.
Because of these shifts, my roster resembles more of a final 53-man roster plus a day. There will be some shuffling on and off to accommodate moving a player to injured reserve.
With that said, here is my final roster prediction for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers make grueling last-minute decision in latest prediction
Quarterback (3): Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson
I’ll keep the same three as last time, with the caveat of Howard going to injured reserve. While I would shop out Skylar Thompson to the highest bidder, a third quarterback doesn’t have a lot of value in the modern NFL.
My guess is that he doesn’t garner enough interest to warrant trading away. Thus, the sixth-round rookie gets stashed on IR to start the year, giving the Steelers strong depth at the position.
Running back (3): Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell
No point in making any big changes here. The only question is if you can squeeze a fourth here. That said, it feels like you can start Trey Sermon and Lew Nichols on the practice squad instead of forcing one onto the roster.
Wide receiver (5): DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Scotty Miller
Max Hurleman was my early camp darling, but his play faded down the stretch. He seems destined for a practice squad spot after being cut on Monday. This group could change quickly if the right name is cut. Scotty Miller is a candidate to be yo-yoed off the roster initially if the team has to keep a player to move them to injured reserve.
Tight end (4): Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
I think tight end could be a sleeper position that gets added to after cutdowns. Connor Heyward is fine as a depth option, but can’t be counted on for considerable action. That said, I’m not projecting any outside names sticking to the roster.
Offensive line (10): Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, Spencer Anderson, Ryan McCollum, Dylan Cook, Andrus Peat, Max Scharping
With Anderson starting the first four games on injured reserve (in this scenario), it gives way for a hodgepodge of mediocre backups to make the team. Be on the lookout for a fresh face here, as the backup linemen have been uninspiring.
READ MORE: Brewing Steelers problem behind DK Metcalf could get ugly fast
Defensive line (7): Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Daniel Ekuale, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Logan Lee
Had Derrick Harmon not tweaked his knee, keeping six defensive linemen was a real possibility. However, an extra body should be kept in the short term until he is completely healthy. Logan Lee wasn’t spectacular, but he can wear a lot of hats as a depth player.
Edge rusher (4): T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer
No need to explain here. While Jack Sawyer was mildly disappointing, this group is still extremely deep. DeMarvin Leal is an interesting name, and I am curious where he ends up down the road.
Linebacker (5): Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Malik Harrison, Carson Bruener
Carson Bruener was the biggest question mark, but he beat out Mark Robinson for the final linebacker spot. The rest of the depth chart has been chalk for most of the offseason. This group has a lot of talent and depth.
Cornerback (5): Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, Brandin Echols, James Pierre
It seems like Beanie Bishop fell out of favor quickly in Pittsburgh, and while there is space on the roster for him, I’m not sure they want him here. Trice is waiting in the wings once he gets healthy. In the meantime, Brandon Echols can be the top backup.
Safety (4): DeShon Elliott, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Miles Killebrew
This room seems to be set in stone. No one made a late push to take a spot, and Chuck Clark looked like a viable member of the secondary. No sweeping changes needed here.
Specialists (3): Chris Boswell, Corliss Waitman, Christian Kuntz
Chris Boswell and Christian Kuntz are locked into roster spots. As for punter, it seems like Cameron Johnston is out. The Steelers may try to trade him now that they are keeping Corliss Waitman.