Being signed onto the practice squad is never the end goal for players this time of year, but it is a solid backup plan. The Steelers have until Tuesday before four PM to make their final decisions on the final 53-man roster. Not everyone can make the team with the current roster holding 90 players right now. That means 37 players will be released between now and the deadline on Tuesday.
Even though certain players might not make the final roster, there are 16 slots that will need to be filled on Pittsburgh's practice squad. That group will be meant for players who impressed during training camp and the preseason but left some more to be improved upon. Those who sit on the practice squad could always join the roster at some point either this season or beyond if certain injuries occur.
A relatively unknown tackle should be able to stick to the practice squad
There are a couple of interesting options across the offensive line that return on the practice squad. Normally the club likes to keep two or three linemen at different positions to try and fill out the bottom depth spots for this club. The Steelers might have found an offensive tackle that could grow in their system within the next year.
Dylan Cook does not seem ready for the main roster as Pittsburgh gets ready for their big decisions going forward. The black and gold might have found a nice project for their offensive line coach to work with moving forward. He is fresh to the position after being a quarterback in college. The practice squad seems perfect for him.
Keeping a tight end will be on the Steelers to-do list before games start
One of the best groups throughout the preseason process for the Steelers thus far has been at tight end. They will likely carry four players into the season on their final roster with Connor Heyward being a slight exception. He will be playing in a variety of roles for this team that will include tight end, fullback, and running back.
That leaves some talent off the board with the kind of versatility that Heyward has been able to show thus far. He might not play a lot at running back, but that is something he could do if injuries start to pile up. Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Zach Gentry all seem like locks to make the roster and that will leave some promising players off the team.
Expect Rodney Williams to not make it through the dreaded final cut-down day. He has been a pleasant surprise during training camp and beyond. He is not a finished product as we sit here today, but there seems to be some untapped potential with his game. He has shown a good overall game but there are issues with the current circumstance of the depth chart.
Gentry is only under contract for this upcoming season, so keeping Williams around on the practice squad might be a smart move by the Steelers. He will have a year to learn and develop behind a strong group at tight end in front of him. It will give him a better chance to grow his game and push for a roster spot around this time next year.
A former XFL cornerback should stick with Pittsburgh's practice squad
Defense could be trickier when it comes to which players currently on the roster stick on the practice squad after final cuts. There are certain position battles across the entire defense that could leave a couple of prime suspects on the future practice squad. Right now, it seems safe to assume that at least one cornerback will make the practice unit.
The Steelers changed around their cornerback room and secondary when you compare it to last season. They added some experienced guys to fill out starting roles and certain depth spots that could challenge for the roster. One of those players that fit both of those molds is Luq Barcoo, who they signed late in the offseason process.
Barcoo played with the XFL this past year and spent time in the NFL before that. He got his second shot in the league with Pittsburgh and did his best to get into the final roster conversation. Sadly, for Barcoo he was never able to stay consistent enough throughout training camp or preseason games to stay in the thick of the fight.
He is still a young cornerback at only 25 years old and could mold into something better with a season on the practice unit. Perhaps he would like to return to the XFL even if the black and gold give him a practice squad offer. Barcoo has talent and could challenge for a roster spot next year if he can find different ways of keeping a consistent game.
This receiver is flying under the radar this preseason and should come back
There have been many popular names heading into training camp that filled out this receiver room. Many thought players like Cody White and Hakeem Butler would jump right into things and compete for the last couple of spots on this roster. That did not happen as White got injured after having a strong performance in practices at training camp.
Butler was injured late into the preseason process and reverted onto the club's injured reserve. It was bad luck for both players, but White had a better shot at making the roster, or at least the practice squad than Butler ever did. Other players that have gotten a lot of attention when it comes to filling out the bottom of the roster at receiver have been Gunner Olszewski and Miles Boykin.
Those two have now overshadowed someone like Dez Fitzpatrick for the past several weeks. Fitzpatrick has done nothing special this preseason, but he has been consistent and willing to put in the work on special teams. He has translated that into a stadium atmosphere which is always promising to see.
He is still only 25 years old and is a former fourth-round selection of the Tennessee Titans in the 2021 NFL Draft. There is potential with Fitzpatrick and the Steelers should sign him to the practice squad if he can go unclaimed through waivers. He has some talent and the ability he has shown on special teams might be good enough to keep him around.
Development for this versatile offensive lineman is the best situation for now
What are the Steelers going to do with Spencer Anderson? He hasn't been great, but he is also a seventh-round selection of this past draft class. One thing that has intrigued many is his position flexibility going forward. He lined up almost everywhere across the offensive line this preseason and should continue getting looks at multiple spots.
Would the risk of losing Anderson via waivers be worth it for Pittsburgh, or would they just keep him on the 53-man roster? That still needs to be situated among the Steelers organization when those final decisions need to be finalized. Anderson seems like a low risk of cutting and being exposed to waiver claims right now.
There are interesting parts to his game, but realistically he was over-drafted this past spring. Many projected him as an undrafted free agent coming out of Maryland, but the Steelers decided they liked what he provided to them. The chances of him making the roster are low right now and it seems tough for him to carve out a spot this year.
Nine spots will probably be the number of offensive linemen that make the team. Unless Anderson finds a way to become more stable as a tackle option, there seems to be little wiggle room for him to stick around when the final 53 gets announced. Expect Anderson to stay on the practice squad this season and hopefully challenge for a couple of depth roles next year.