Training camp brings many out of the woodwork of the offseason as fans get excited about football again. The Steelers will be going back to Latrobe, PA again after a couple of years away due to the Covid pandemic. That is where so much history of this franchise has occurred as players cut their teeth and create NFL futures for themselves.
There seems to be a handful of players that seem to be overstaying their welcome with the club when the pre-season rolls around each year. That trend seems like it could continue this time around, which could lead to these veterans having their job security up in the air. It is time for them to finally take a step forward in training camp and beyond, or they could be part of the final cuts to get down to the final 53-man roster.
A former starter at nose tackle could be cut before the pre-season concludes
One name to keep a close eye on in camp is Montravius Adams. He has been the starter at the nose tackle role for the Steelers since he got here for the most part. He started off his career in the black and gold on a promising note. That led to high expectations last season, but he was not able to live up to those lofty goals.
Adams now has a bunch of competition on the roster that could push him out the door. His job is going to be one he has to win, and it seems less likely that he retains the starting nose tackle role by the day. He will need to beat out Keeanu Benton and Breiden Fehoko to have a serious shot at sticking around in Pittsburgh.
It looks like this returner has got to a point to either put up or shut up
One of the more notable free agent signings last offseason was the addition of Gunner Olszewski. He was a well renowned punt returner before signing with the Steelers, and many thought that would carry over to his new team. He enjoyed a solid pre-season campaign with the club and even showed some promise as a receiver as well.
Sadly, that promise during the pre-season last year and training camp did not carry over to when games started to count. Olszewski was benched from his returner duties after a couple of botches and failed attacks in the return game. He could not bring over his receiving success either, which caused him to lose snaps to other offensive players.
With a poor season in 2022, many thought that this veteran could become a cap casualty with only a year remaining on his contract. It would have saved the Steelers a few million dollars in cap savings to spend elsewhere this past offseason. They decided to refrain from that roster change and see if Olszewski has something left in the tank this pre-season.
Everything that this player gets will have to be earned during training camp and the games themselves. Even if he wins the job like last season, he could lose it just as quickly as he gained it. There are more quality options both at returner and receiver this year, so he has an uphill battle to climb before his job security gets better.
The Steelers could move on from a known cornerback on defense
Cornerback is an interesting position that the Steelers still might have issues with. Patrick Peterson will be doing his best to stop the worries at slot corner, but if that experiment fails then another weak point on defense shows up. Middle linebacker is the main weakness on this defense, but slot corner could be a concern if Peterson fails there.
It seems like Joey Porter Jr. and Levi Wallace would then file into the two starting spots as the outside cornerback options. Some wonder if Wallace could find his name available via trade if certain players emerge out of nowhere. James Pierre is a player that has done some starting on defense in a limited role throughout his career.
Most of his contributions have come on special teams, and that earned him a one-year contract this past offseason. Even though he did see a slight pay increase, that does not guarantee him a spot on this roster going into training camp. He needs to show signs of improvement at the position if he wants to find snaps on defense this year.
If Pierre is not careful, there could be his name showing up when final cuts are given to the NFL. He has plenty of competition for his spot with players like Cory Trice Jr. and Luq Barcoo vying for a job towards the bottom of the roster. If both or either show enough in camp on defense and special teams, that could make Pierre the odd man out.
Steelers fans have been asking for this offensive lineman's release for a while
Plenty of players in the NFL go through a lot of scrutiny, but not too many more on the Steelers have seen that directed toward them than Kendrick Green. It is no surprise as the former third round pick two years ago has not been able to figure things out yet. He did start at center during his rookie season, but that did not work out.
Coaches decided to pivot and try moving him over to guard with the hope that some athleticism can make the transition easier. That plan did not work out and Green barely made the roster last year around this time. Things look even more bleak for Green when it comes to his chances of making the final roster once the pre-season concludes.
This time around brings much higher quality on the offensive line, especially among the interior of the group. Both the starting spots and depth players have gotten better, which means Green could be on his way out the door soon. If Green can somehow bounce back and take a step forward this season, then he could fight his way onto the team.
His making the club is a long shot just from the lack of progress he has made since entering the league. Green could provide prior starting experience and position flexibility for the Steelers, which would be a welcomed addition. This will be a steep hill for Green to reach, which seems like an unrealistic situation that won't happen.
A known utility player in the secondary could find his way out the door
Another known player that could see his name hit the chopping block is Tre Norwood. The former seventh-round choice saw a promising rookie year but has not been able to build off that since. He has shown some position flexibility in the past and that is where he needs to express himself more at this pre-season.
The Steelers are looking for a player in the defensive back area of their roster to step up and show quality play in the slot. Peterson might work out, or he might not, that could bring a whole new opportunity for a player like Norwood to step up. He needs to find a way to stand out in a positive way to get some snaps on defense.
It has been two years since Norwood was drafted by Pittsburgh, and he needs to start showing some progress in some areas on defense. No matter if that is at safety or in the slot, there needs to be quality play shown in this training camp. He does play a role on special teams, which is a welcome addition to this club that struggles to find that.
With Damontae Kazee in the fold, Norwood has seen his chances on defense diminish since last year. He can really find a spot for himself as a young defensive back in the slot if he can show enough to the coaching staff this pre-season. It is hard to say if his job is in serious jeopardy, but he needs to show enough because there are some interesting options at safety that could make his seat red hot.