With roster cuts just days away, the Pittsburgh Steelers will soon make choices that will impact the direction of their future. Mike Tomlin and his staff will soon cut roughly 40 percent of their roster. The players they decide to keep will be the ones the team hopes to aid them to success in 2024.
But roster decisions aren't so cut-and-dry; there are other factors to consider. Though the Steelers want to keep the 53 players who will help this team right away, they need to consider factors such as potential and projected development.
If they keep the future in mind, these five players need to make the Steelers' roster in 2024.
CB Darius Rush
I've seen some in Steelers media argue for less talented players making the roster than Darius Rush. But 6'2'' cornerbacks with 33 3/8'' arms and 4.36 speed don't grow on trees. Rush may not be a finished product, but he's gotten better since arriving in Pittsburgh last year.
At 24 years old with exceptionally rare traits for the CB position, the Steelers need to hang onto this high-upside cornerback. Rush has made some impressive plays in the preseason. He can offer a special teams presence until he develops enough to see subpackage work.
Though he's not guaranteed to ever develop into a starter, Rush is a moldable ball of clay with all the traits and physical tools the Steelers could ask for. It would be foolish to cut him in order to keep a player at the bottom of the roster with far less upside.
CB Cory Trice Jr.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers are willing to keep throwing darts against the wall for big, athletic cornerbacks with upside, eventually they are going to find one that sticks. Even after missing his entire rookie season with an ACL injury, Cory Trice Jr. still looks like the player who got fans excited about a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Trice has been a lockdown cornerback in the preseason (albeit against backup receivers and backup quarterbacks). At 6'3'' and 206 pounds, Trice still looks fast and explosive one year removed from an ACL tear.
Trice's job doesn't appear to be in jeopardy, but choices will need to be made at the cornerback position. He and Trice are both ideal developmental prospects who should stick around on the Steelers' roster.
WR Calvin Austin III
I'm not as optimistic about Calvin Austin III as I once was. Despite his incredible speed and athletic traits, Austin's extreme lack of size at the wide receiver position (5'7 3/4'', 170 pounds) will always be his Achilles heel.
Regardless, Austin drew the short straw early in his career and deserves a fair shake. His rookie season was lost due to a foot injury that landed him on IR before his first preseason. Then in year two, Austin was at the mercy of Matt Canada's offense with quarterback Kenny Pickett at the helm.
Austin is always going to have a small catch radius, but he's a much more natural receiver than most give him credit for, and his 4.32 speed and run-after-the-catch ability could be an asset to this team. He deserves one more season with the team to show what he can offer.
DL DeMarvin Leal
I bought into the DeMarvin Leal hype back when the Steelers selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Texas A&M star was a five-star recruit and the number three overall recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports.
Unfortunately, Leal seemed to be stuck in between positions in a bad way early in his Steelers' tenure -- not big enough to hold up as a defensive tackle and too slow to be an edge rusher. Now in year three, Leal may have finally found his groove.
As one of the youngest players in the 2022 draft, Leal recently turned just 23 years old and has had an incredible summer with back-to-back strong preseason performances against the Texans and Bills. The Steelers may not know exactly how he will be used, but Leal is talented enough to earn a roster spot in 2024.
S Ryan Watts
I don't always advocate for late-round picks to make the roster, but I'm making an exception for Ryan Watts. Pittsburgh's final selection in the 2024 NFL Draft made the transition from a cornerback at Texas to a safety for the Steelers.
So far, Watts looks like he's ahead of the curve. Watts is a competitor who isn't afraid to come down into the box and support the run. It's also not easy finding players with his frame. At 6'2 7/8'' with impressive 34 1/2'' arms, Watts has an incredible frame for an NFL defensive back.
Watts is raw and may not be able to see the field much early in his career, but he can carve a path on special teams. His size, athletic traits, and upside -- combined with a solid preseason -- are enough cause to keep him on the Steelers roster this year.