4 players the Steelers must make room for on the final 53
There will be tough choices to make during roster cuts, but these four players need to stick around.
By Tommy Jaggi
We are now close enough to begin the countdown to 2023 roster cuts in the NFL. In years past, the National Football League had multiple cut-down dates ahead of the regular season. Now they have been condensed to just one. In a matter of days (and maybe even hours) the Pittsburgh Steelers will reduce what's left of their 90-man summer roster down to just 53 players, and 31 other teams will do the same.
This is a very important time in the NFL. Front offices don't want to get things wrong, and we have seen players who narrowly missed the roster go on to have solid careers elsewhere. For this reason, the Steelers need to keep the future in mind when it comes to the decisions they will make with some of their final roster spots in 2023. Here are four players Pittsburgh must make room for on the final 53-man roster.
4. Spencer Anderson offers versatility and upside
As much as I liked Pittsburgh's 2023 draft class from the moment the draft came to a close, Spencer Anderson was the one pick that I questioned this year. Though it's easy to see the connection to a Maryland player, Anderson wasn't really on anyone's draft radar.
While Anderson has still been overshadowed by a thoroughly impressive draft class, the rookie offensive lineman has still impressed this August. Anderson has lined up mostly at offensive tackle but has also taken snaps at guard and center as well. Despite being a late seventh-round draft choice, the rookie has showcased his versatility.
In addition to his position flexibility, Anderson also offers plus athletic traits -- testing in the 93rd percentile when compared to NFL guards, according to Relative Athletic Score. Because of his lack of arm length, Anderson projects best as an interior offensive lineman, and he could even wind up at center in the near future.
Anderson has shown more as a rookie than we have seen from a player like Kendrick Green over the past two summers. He may never be a starter, but at least he offers the ability to act as a reserve player for most positions on the OL and is on a very cheap rookie contract. The Steelers need to keep him around on the roster and see where his development goes.