Mike Tomlin and the rest of the NFL have to release their initial depth chart later this week. It is always interesting to see where certain players line up when the initial ranking of players at their position land. Tomlin always claims to never read in-depth with these outcomes as the pre-season and training camp are a fluid situation.
Fans and other media outlets love to ponder over what the first depth chart could possibly mean for certain players, especially when it pertains to them making the 53-man roster. Although the first depth chart might provide some clues to the final roster, it does not tell the whole story. The pre-season is a long process and players that might not be positioned favorably on this depth chart might improve their spot.
Dan Moore Jr. will hang onto his starting spot at left tackle
Dan Moore Jr. being listed as the starting left tackle on the opening depth chart seems like a lock at this point. Broderick Jones has done some good things during the early days of practice at training camp, but he has a long way to go still. Coaches will want to bring him along slowly before they have him take over the starting duties.
Moore will be listed as the starter on the left side in this depth chart and might hold that title into the start of the regular season. It is interesting that the team is giving him a chunk of snaps at right tackle during these most recent practices. If Jones can find a way to dethrone Moore, don't be shocked if Chuks Okorafor finds his starting job on the opposite side in jeopardy.
The Steelers will hold Montravius Adams as the starting nose tackle
One of the more fascinating positions to keep an eye on will be along the defensive line. The trenches in general on both sides of the ball will hold interest, but the defense could prove to show more than the offensive line will. Will the coaches start a rookie at nose tackle? Or will they decide to keep with tradition and roll with a veteran?
That answer will likely start to show in the first depth chart released by Tomlin. Don't be shocked if Montravius Adams or Breiden Fehoko are listed as the starter at nose tackle. Keeanu Benton is making some plays in training camp, but the Steelers try their best to get their rookies behind a veteran player or two to start.
Adams would seem to be the favorite to have the top job on the roster for now just because of his familiarity with the team. He has been with the Steelers for the past couple of years and experienced some rollercoaster performances. It is unlikely that Adams will hold onto the job by the time final cuts are announced, but he will be the top dog for now.
Fehoko is a free agent addition this past offseason that will provide additional depth and competition for the defensive line. He could be the underdog choice to be the nose tackle on the first depth chart with his wide array of experience. Benton will probably end up being a key role player and starter at nose tackle when the pre-season draws to a close.
A free agent signing will remain a starter on the initial depth chart
No other position on the Steelers roster saw more of a change this past offseason than inside linebacker. Everyone in the position is new to the team besides Mark Robinson returning for year two in the NFL. Cole Holcomb will be the top linebacker that will be on the field for three downs, even though he has seen mixed results in practices thus far.
Overall, Holcomb is the best linebacker for this defense heading into the regular season and the rest will battle for the second spot that is considered a starting role. There have been hints that many of the linebackers on the team will have different roles to fill as the black and gold try and solve their issue at linebacker with a committee approach.
Elandon Roberts will probably be the second linebacker listed behind Holcomb in the initial depth chart released. He was a free agent addition that got some decent change coming his way on his contract. There are others on the roster that will challenge him for that role and different snaps on defense before the regular season starts.
Robinson is a player that many have high hopes for, and he should be able to apply pressure on Roberts. Another name to watch for is Kwon Alexander who the Steelers just signed to their team recently. He is a hard-hitting linebacker that is an effective run stopper. Most of these players struggle in coverage and that is where the real problem will arise with this group.
Gunner Olszewski gets rewarded after a hot start to training camp
One player that has flown under the radar heading into training camp has been Gunner Olszewski. That comes with merit as he struggled to find a role on this team last season, and many thought he could be a cap casualty. He was able to perform well last pre-season before struggling to carry that play over to the regular season.
Perhaps the Steelers didn't feel an immediate need to release Olszewski like many fans thought they would. They figure that this veteran returner and receiver could turn things around and return to his quality form before he joined Pittsburgh. The start of training camp has been great for this veteran as he is getting every opportunity to show what he’s got.
Calvin Austin III seems like the biggest threat to Olszewski moving forward as he can fill many of his roles. Austin has shown the ability in his brief stint in the NFL as a quality returner and a faster receiver than Olszewski has been able to. Even if Austin can find a way to take either of those spots from Olszewski, it seems like both of their roster spots are getting secure.
Austin seems like a lock to make this team and should be able to show some quality snaps once the rust is knocked off. Olszewski provides a been there and done that type of guy that would bring quality depth on special teams and as a receiver. Expect him to be listed above Austin for now, but it is more likely than not that Austin will jump in front before training camp is over.
Joey Porter Jr. will likely be out of the starting lineup for the Steelers right now
After the Steelers basically got an extra first round pick in this past draft, there was a lot of speculation on how they would use it. Would they trade back? Or would they stick to their guns and draft their best player available? They decided to stick to their guns and draft the top player on their board, which ended up being Joey Porter Jr.
He was pick 32 in the draft and it brought a full circle moment to fruition with his father being a former member of the Steelers in the 2000s. There have been some quality snaps completed by cornerbacks in training camp thus far. Porter has been able to show his draft pedigree in front of all the fans and coaches in attendance.
It is still unknown what kind of role Patrick Peterson will play on defense, but many believe he will play all over the secondary. Levi Wallace is an outside corner and will likely always fill one of those spots. That will leave Porter on the outside looking in both on the initial depth chart and likely throughout his rookie year.
With that being said, Porter will get a lot of playing time this season and could get starting snaps in certain instances. Much of the secondary deployment for the Steelers will depend on what kind of opponent they will go up against. Porter has shown the ability and skill during practices thus far and it seems like he will play a large role on defense even though he might not be considered a starter at the beginning.