Tons of news is coming out left and right as the final cut day has wrapped up. NFL teams are now roster-compliant. The Steelers have made a handful of cuts and some trades too. They will be busy up until they scour the waivers once teams trim their rosters.
Right now, there are a select number of roster spots that are not guaranteed to players even if they stick on the initial roster. They could easily be let go if the club can find an upgrade via trade or once players are available to sign elsewhere or via waiver claim. It is going to be another busy couple of days for change at player personnel as week one gets closer.
Looking at the biggest positions of need for the Steelers right now
When you look at this roster, most of their starting spots are ready for the regular season besides some uncertainties at slot cornerback. There are a good number of areas in depth positions that could use an upgrade right now. When you investigate this roster construction closely, Pittsburgh has about five positions that could use some help from outside options.
Cornerback is one both outside corner and in the slot. Depth across the offensive line could use some help, especially at center. Inside linebacker could also get a look after Tanner Muse was unexpectedly released. A sleeper spot could be the third running back slot as Anthony McFarland Jr. has not shown great things as a kick returner.
Cornerback could use some help in a couple different roles
There are a couple of different options out there that could make sense for the black and gold once they have the chance to get them. They need two things at cornerback currently and it would be beneficial if they could kill two birds with one stone. James Pierre seems like he will make the initial roster, but the Steelers need to be on the lookout for a potential upgrade.
Another spot at corner that needs an upgrade is slot cornerback. Patrick Peterson might be the fix at the position, but he has not played many snaps there this preseason. The internal options have been Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley as they battle for the job. It seems like both will make the team out of camp, but there could be someone better.
Bradly Roby is a veteran who could make a lot of sense after being released by the New Orleans Saints earlier today. He has a lot of NFL experience and the Steelers have been rumored to have interest in him previously. He has experience both in the slot and on the outside and would fill potentially two holes on this roster.
Another potential option could be someone like Desmond King most recently of the Houston Texans. He got cut yesterday and graded out nicely last year. He mostly played in the slot and would probably be an upgrade over Sullivan and Riley. Another name to watch could be Greedy Williams as he could potentially be a better player on the roster than Pierre.
Depth at center and interior offensive line could use a boost in Pittsburgh
Trying to find quality depth across the offensive line is no easy task, but it is getting tougher nowadays. For one reason or another offensive line play seems to be getting sloppier across the entire league. The Steelers might have one of the top units in the NFL this year, but they seem to struggle at different points.
Mason Cole is the top center, and he should be installed there for the entire season barring injury. Nate Herbig will probably be the immediate choice for backup guard and center if injuries start to happen. The center spot for Herbig is new and the club would be foolish to not search for an upgrade behind Cole for that center spot.
With Kendrick Green being traded to the Texans earlier today, the interior offensive line depth is getting thin. There are a couple of center and guard options that could make a lot of sense if they were to become available via trade or their release. Logan Bruss is an interesting option as he can play either guard or tackle if the need is there.
A couple of top choices at center that would make sense if they get released by their current employer would be Jimmy Morrissey or Pat Elflein. Both have a lot of experience at center and could play guard too. Another name that was recently dropped by Mark Kaboly is Michael Dunn, who would be a good backup guard for the Steelers.
A running back that could be used as a kick returner should be on the to-do list
Running back is not the biggest fish to fry for Pittsburgh when it comes to certain positions they need to upgrade at. Anthony McFarland Jr. is a serviceable third option behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. He has had a solid preseason that saw him cement his status without much competition for his roster spot.
When it comes to McFarland and his spot, he needs to show more positives in his kick return game. That part of the NFL is starting to go by the wayside, but McFarland needs to be prepared when a kick does come his way. He failed to show much this preseason and showed some poor decision-making when he did take kicks out of the end zone.
Those mistakes could lead to the black and gold looking at external options to bring in and leave McFarland on the practice squad yet again. There are a couple of different names that could be surprise cuts today that could be upgraded at the returner position on kickoffs. One of those names could be star player Cordarrelle Patterson.
The Falcons are rumored to be interested in moving on and he could also be a trade option too. Another player on the bubble is Ty Montgomery. He has played receiver and running back throughout his NFL career. Montgomery is also known as a solid returner and could be an interesting option to be brought onto the team if he is cut.
Inside linebacker could still get an addition if the right situation arises
Trying to figure out what the Steelers will do at inside linebacker right now is a tough task to accomplish. By the time you read this, it is likely you already know if they kept four linebackers or five. Tanner Muse was the shocking early release and could always return if he cannot find work elsewhere. Keep an eye on him.
It is unlikely that Nick Kwiatkoski will stick around the 53-man roster for long, but stranger things have happened. The Steelers have been looking to find a steady three-down linebacker in the middle of their defense for years. They have overhauled the group this season and showed promise during the three preseason games.
A couple of different outside options could be interesting for Pittsburgh if they decide to get creative. If they want to get bold and go the trade route, Devin White and Patrick Queen could be some solid options. Both would cost a pretty penny to acquire both in trade assets and the likely contract extension that they will demand.
A player that got released yesterday that could be an interesting pickup is Christian Kirksey. He has been a solid contributor to a Texans defense that has been poor. Kirksey is a reliable veteran option that has been a team captain throughout his career. He would be a nice pickup that would not only provide depth but push for snaps upon his arrival.
The Steelers could use a potential upgrade at tackle behind the starters
Offensive tackle is another spot that might have some question marks especially if certain injuries occur. If both Dan Moore Jr. and Chuks Okorafor miss time with injury at the same time, the Steelers will be in a pinch. They brought in Le'Raven Clark this past offseason to provide quality depth as the fourth tackle option for the Steelers.
It seems like Dylan Cook will get that final roster spot to at least start, but that could change quickly. Spencer Anderson has played multiple spots across the offensive line during training camp and the preseason. It seems like he should be able to make the initial 53-man roster upon writing this article. There are potential upgrades out there.
Rumor has it that the Cincinnati Bengals could cut La'el Collins because of his massive price tag. He has not lived up to that with the Bengals and would be an interesting option for the Steelers if they could ship out someone like Okorafor via trade. It would not be a depth move like these other options named below.
Yosh Nijman is also rumored to be on the chopping block. but this time it is with the Green Bay Packers. He has played mostly tackle in the NFL, but he could always be pushed into guard if certain situations happened. David Quessenberry might be the most attractive option for the Steelers with the amount of NFL experience he carries with him. He was just released earlier today.