Training camp starts on July 26th as players will report to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. It should be a highly competitive camp with different starting spots and pivotal roles up for grabs. This roster has a long way to go before it is finalized into the initial 53-man roster that will likely go into the regular season intact.
Between now and the start of training camp, there could be a variety of roster alterations done to upgrade parts of the depth chart. There are still some needs at key positions for the Steelers and that could lead to some known players being called to Mike Tomlin's office. Some of those players could also be cap-related concerns that lead to their release.
Kendrick Green could find his way off the roster before training camp
Draft busts are not something uncommon in the NFL as some players just fail to adjust to the NFL level. Kendrick Green could be labeled as a bust, but all of the blame cannot be forced upon him. The black and gold played a role in his failure to become a solid NFL contributor to this club. His career seems to be over heading into training camp.
Green is heading into his third season since being drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. He started an entire season at center which saw him struggle to show any signs of improvement. He then sat on the bench throughout the 2022 campaign, and things seem bleak for this player to have a shot at making the club in any fashion.
Quincy Roche could be cut from the Steelers for the second time around
It took a long time, but the Steelers were able to add a veteran edge rusher to their outside linebacker group. They signed Markus Golden to fill the third edge rusher spot behind the two starters, which is an important position for this team. That has solidified that group with Nick Herbig likely rounding out that group with the club normally keeping four at the position.
With the additions of Golden via free agency and Herbig via the draft, those behind them have a small chance to make the final roster. Training camp poses an opportunity for players to not only show their current club what they can do, but what they can do for other teams as well. It is going to be a hard time for these fifth or sixth guys on the roster to make it.
Quincy Roche was a late-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2021, and it has not worked out well between team and player. For one reason or another Roche and the Steelers have not connected in their marriage since he was drafted. He is going to have a hard time making this team if he cannot show valuable snaps on special teams.
Both Roche and David Perales will have an uphill battle to make this roster. It will take strong training camps from either player for them to take someone else’s spot on the depth chart. Expect a competitive camp from these outside linebackers, but it might be a fight for a job on another team if Pittsburgh decides to only keep four when it’s all said and done.
A known returner could find his way on the chopping block before camp
When you get to this point in the offseason, normally free agency is starting to taper down. That could be a safe bet when it comes to the Steelers' past free agent classes in franchise history. However, you cannot totally rule out the potential of still signing free agents or adding someone via trade with the way Omar Khan has run things.
With additions comes the need for cap space and there are certain players that could become more expendable before training camp. If you need a couple more million dollars of cap space to open up, then look no further than Gunner Olszewski being on the chopping block. He would free up around two million dollars in spending cash once released.
He has not worked out as a returner or receiver for this team since signing in free agency a year ago. Olszewski showed promise during the pre-season last year only to have a terrible season that followed it. There are a ton of options that will battle for his spot both at receiver and returner and that will likely kill his chances of keeping his job.
With the likes of Calvin Austin III and Anthony Miller on the roster, it seems like Olszewski will not have a great opportunity to stick as a return specialist. Shaving off his two million as a cap hit could open the door for other options via trade or free agency that you might not have had earlier. His days seem numbered with this club anyways, might as well cut him now.
A former starter on the defensive line could be a late cap casualty
Kind of repeating the trench with the last page here as there could be a cap casualty effect here. The Steelers seem mostly done with adding to their roster right now, but they could be open to the idea of a few additions. We know they have been active in the inside linebacker market in the past month or so, which could lead to a signing or trade eventually.
Montravius Adams would be another name to monitor in terms of freeing up extra cap space if needed. Both he and Olszewski would free up about the same amount of space if they were released at any moment in time. Adams has been more impactful than Olszewski has for better or worse since he joined the club a couple of years ago.
After being a waiver claim off the Saints roster, Adams was able to thrive with his new team in Pittsburgh. Sadly, his nose tackle role fell off last year in his newly expanded role and that disappointment led to some new additions this past offseason. There is a lot of competition across the defensive line and that is a bad sign for Adams.
After drafting Keeanu Benton and signing the likes of Armon Watts and Breiden Fehoko, it looks like the writing is on the wall for Adams. There are a lot of different defensive linemen that have around the same type of experience as his. It looks like an uphill battle for Adams to make this roster especially when you look at his price tag.
One of the starting guards from last season could be cut by the Steelers
Kevin Dotson would make for a solid backup guard behind James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo. He was the starting left guard for the past several seasons and is average to below average in that role. Dotson is not a draft bust as the fourth-round pick has been a decent starter that has not been able to progress since his rookie campaign.
There have been speculations recently that this guard could be looking for a new shot with another club. It makes sense when you dissect his situation with his childhood team that currently employs him. Dotson has lost his starting job and there is no chance of retaining it in the future, barring an unforeseen injury.
Another thing hurting him is the lack of position flexibility as he is only seen as a guard unless he shows otherwise in camp. Green has at least shown that he can play center and guard, no matter if his lack of success is not something to brag about. That lack of option as a center could hurt him, but his better quality of experience at guard would put him over Green in most roster constructions.
The biggest concern with Dotson is what he claimed about first-round pick Broderick Jones to the media. He claimed that he will likely not start in year one. It was poor judgment for him to state those claims, but it might have been a miscommunication. If he meant it as a slight, then that could affect a locker room. That could change Dotson's immediate future with this club as they might trade or cut him if he meant those things maliciously.