Training camp is right around the corner for NFL teams, and that means a slew of players will be fighting for roles and roster spots. The Steelers are no exception. While their established stars already have spots locked down, there is a lot up for grabs during this training camp. In particular, there are a slew of established players that are playing for their starting role and even more fighting for their roster spot.
With so much at stake, I have identified a few players who are fighting for their jobs during camp. Some of them were starters last year hoping to keep their role, while others are backups who could be forced off the roster. There is even a rookie who made the final cut for this list. With all of that said, here are five Steelers fighting for their jobs during training camp.
5. Steelers Monte Pottebaum is trying to be a throwback
The Steelers let veteran fullback Derek Watt walk in free agency seemingly with the anticipation that second-year tight end Connor would take on those duties in addition to his tight end work. They didn’t add any established veterans at the position, but they did sign undrafted rookie Monte Pottebaum after the draft wrapped up.
Pottebaum is about as throwback as you can get. He is a grueling lead blocker but doesn’t offer much else as an offensive weapon. While on paper the offense could use a player like that given the fact they want to run the ball, but a player like Pottebaum is a dying breed in the NFL.
To be fair though, he has a real shot at cracking the roster if he can prove to be a dynamic blocker and viable special teams player. While Heyward can be used as a weapon, he isn’t a great blocker and has rarely been used in that role. While every underrated rookie has long odds, Pottebaum is fighting to prove his worth as a traditional fullback.
4. Steelers Kendrick Green is trying to prove his worth
It certainly hasn’t been a good experience for interior offensive lineman Kendrick Green since getting drafted in the third round. The team unfairly expected him to start at center before moving him back to guard last season. He has proven to be ineffective at either position and is squarely fighting for his Steelers career this offseason.
Luckily for him, the backup center job is wide open. While the team has made mention of Nate Herbig being that guy, he has little experience there and was brought in as a guard. Besides that, there are no experienced options that could serve as the backup center on this roster. Green’s tape there isn’t good, but he is entering his third season and should be better suited to handle the role.
The issue for Green isn’t just the fact that he is playing against the current crop of guys on the roster, he is likely up against the field as well. The Steelers aren’t shy about adding players that make the roster during and even after training camp. If they aren’t satisfied with their backup centers, they could easily add outside of the organization.
Green doesn’t just have to look ok, he needs to show some genuine improvements as a player. Sound snapping technique and the ability to hold his own as a blocker will be a must, as even if he ends up being the best of the current options, the team can easily look elsewhere. Green isn’t only fighting for his Steelers job, he may be fighting for his NFL career during training camp.
3. Steelers will need a good reason to keep Montravius Adams
The Steelers banked on Montravius Adams showcasing some of his former talent after Tyson Alualu struggled last season. Adams had flashed the ability to learn quickly and make an impact when he joined the team, but the extra season under his belt didn’t seem to help him. He was abysmal last year.
The Steelers are keen to this fact, as they have been very open about replacing Adams this offseason. They signed two nose tackle-capable bodies, and while neither are superstars, the pressure is clearly on. Worse yet for Adams, the team used their second-round pick on Keeanu Benton. While Benton may move around eventually, he seems poised to be the nose tackle this season.
With Adams in the second year of his contract, he isn’t owed a lot of money, but there is some cap savings by cutting him. That means that he doesn’t just have to prove to be a viable backup, he also needs to prove that he is worth keeping at a higher price tag than the other options on the roster.
Adams needs to recapture some of the solid play he had as a reserve a couple of seasons ago. There is a wide-open battle at nose tackle for who will be the top backup. It certainly doesn’t benefit Adams that he also needs to justify his price tag being higher than the other options. He is in a major fight not only for the starting job but his actual roster spot.
2. Steelers Dan Moore won’t go down without a fight
Dan Moore Jr. has been the primary left tackle for this offense over the course of the past few seasons, and while his play has never jumped into an elite space, he has progressed every season and is a fine starter. That didn’t stop the Steelers from trying to upgrade him by trading up for Broderick Jones in the first round of the draft.
Jones is the left tackle of the future, but he won’t be handed the role. Moore will still be fighting for his spot, and while his roster spot is secure, his starting job isn’t. Jones is relatively raw, and he will have to prove that he is pro-ready before he takes over. That means training camp will be a critical time for both players to prove themselves.
That doesn’t mean that Moore can’t show improvements either. He is only entering his third season as a pro and he won’t have to learn a new system like he did last year. While the goal should be for Jones to take over, Moore certainly wants to continue to show growth and keep his value up.
Like it or not, we haven’t seen the last of Moore in the starting lineup yet. Even when Jones takes over, Moore will still be the swing tackle and could be a favorite to start at right tackle next season. Don’t be surprised to see him still get some starts at left tackle this season as Jones gets himself settled into a pro offense.
1. Steelers may not have a need for Levi Wallace
Levi Wallace will be closely watching the backups behind him entering training camp, as he has one of the weirdest spots on the roster. Patrick Peterson was brought in to be a starter, and the team drafted Joey Porter to also man down a side, which leaves Wallace as a potential third cornerback for this team.
That isn’t a bad role for him, and frankly, you could do a lot worse than Wallace as your cornerback three. Add in the playing time a third cornerback could see due to the amount of three corner sets, and you want an established guy there. Even if/when Porter takes over for Wallace, he shouldn’t be in trouble just yet.
The issue lies behind him. James Pierre flashed some strong tape as a reserve cornerback last season and is a viable special teams player. Cory Trice has a lot of hype surrounding him, and while he needs to prove himself, he could also be a sleeper contender for a role on defense sooner than later.
If either were to jump Wallace as the third cornerback, he suddenly becomes a very expensive depth. Wallace doesn’t normally get work on special teams either, so his impact would be hampered. While I would expect him to battle Porter for the second cornerback role, he will likely eventually lose that role. If anyone else jumps him, he could easily find himself expendable.
While the majority of the Steelers roster is fighting for their spots and jobs, these five, in particular, should be highlighted. They have some stiff competition in training camp, and if they come out the other side as a loser, they may be looking for a new role or even a new team before the new season begins.