Projected Steelers depth chart entering training camp

The Steelers are set to bring in a very new roster to training camp this summer following a tumultuous offseason. The offense has been recreated in a new image while the defense saw some core players get added to its ranks. All bets are off this year and camp will be a true battle for more positions than usual.

While the initial depth chart will change, here is an early look at how the depth chart should look as camp opens. To be clear, this is how the Steelers will initially deploy their players up and until the first preseason game. That means there will be preference given to the veterans as rookies will have to earn a role. This includes the early draft picks as well. Here is the Steelers' initial training cam depth chart ahead of training camp.

Quarterback

Starter: Russell Wilson

Backup: Justin Fields

Others in line: Kyle Allen, John Rhys Plumlee

This group seems mostly set ahead of training camp this year. While there is a battle on paper between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, it seems like this is Wilson’s team initially. This makes sense from a gameplay perspective as well, as Wilson is the more consistent player while Fields has more highs and lows to his on-field work.

If you are a Fields fan, you will want him to show that he is more consistent this summer. He will flash at times given his traits, and articles will blast that he is making more plays than Wilson, but if he follows that up with a string of bad plays it is all for nothing. If he does end up starting, expect to see that shift come mid-season.

The rest of the depth chart seems cut and dry as well. Kyle Allen is an above-average third option, and assuming the team keeps three quarterbacks, he should be the favorite to land there this year. John Rhys Plumlee is a fun player to watch but likely can’t stay at quarterback long-term. I doubt he makes the team in any capacity and could be UFL-bound.

Running Back

Starters: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren

Backup: Cordarrelle Patterson

Others in line: Jack Colletto, Jonathan Ward, Daijun Edwards, La’Mical Perine, Aaron Shampklin

I have Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren listed as co-starters, and for good reason. I expect their snap share to be close to equal, and while Harris will get the nod as the runner, Warren will see extra work as a receiver. Both play a core role for the offense, and both figure to have career years in Arthur Smith’s running back-friendly offense.

Cordarrelle Patterson is the only player you can be confident in as a backup. He was brought in primarily as a kick returner, but he has also had some notable success with the ball in his hands on offense. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get a few carries a game and see the occasional snap at receiver to boot.

Will the Steelers keep four running backs? If they do Jonathan Ward and Daijun Edwards would have the be the early favorites. Both had strong rookie camp performances, with Ward earning a contract from that event. La’Mical Perine has some pedigree and Aaron Shampklin is a holdover from last year, but both seem like long shots to make the team. Jack Colletto could surprise as a fullback, but he doesn’t have a clear roster spot right now and will likely be the backup there in camp.

Receiver

Starters: George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Quez Watkins (slot)

Backups: Van Jefferson, Dez Fitzpatrick, Roman Wilson (slot)

Others in line: Scotty Miller, Marquez Callaway, Jacob Copeland, Duece Watts, Jaray Jenkins

Formating the depth chart here is a little more difficult, as the only certainty is that George Pickens will be the starter. I give Calvin Austin the other nod as starting outside receiver as he has received a lot of praise this offseason so far. Add in his familiarity with the system and I see him as an early starter. Quez Watkins works best out of the slot and his veteran status gives him the nod there.

For you Roman Wilson fans don’t fret; it would be shocking if he didn’t earn the job there this offseason. Right out of the gate though I see him taking second-team reps. Van Jefferson almost got the nod as a starter, but I think Austin has the slight edge. Dez Fitzpatrick had a strong camp a year ago and can play special teams and deserves a shot over the other names being brought in.

The rest of the list sans Scotty Miller and Marquez Callaway are long shots. This group will be a fluid one though, and while the initial list is very veteran-heavy, I expect to see some of the younger options improve their standing as camp progresses.

Tight End

Starter: Pat Freiermuth

Backups: Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward

Others in line: Rodney Williams, MyCole Pruitt

Unlike receivers, this is an easy group to figure out the initial starters and depth. Pat Freiemuth is as sure as they come as a starter. The only question is if he will ink a new deal or not as of this writing. He should be in for a huge year given the general lack of receiving options and Smith’s focus on getting tight ends involved.

Darnell Washington will reprise his role as a blocker for this team and should see his role grow. He needs to get better as a receiver, and his size should make him a weapon in the red zone. Connor Heyward has become a versatile tight end who will also likely serve as the fullback in this offense. He should be in store for a huge season.

The Steelers will likely keep four tight ends this year given Heyward's duel role and the aforementioned lack of receivers. Rodney Williams has the early edge given his promotion in the offense last year and his ability on special teams. MyCole Pruitt is a favorite of Smith though, so this is a coin flip right now.

Offensive Tackle

Starters: Broderick Jones, Dan Moore

Backups: Troy Fautanu, Dylan Cook

Next in line: Devery Hamilton, Tyler Beach

No one is going to like seeing Dan Moore as the starter here, but please don’t freak out when the early reports list him there. Pittsburgh rarely lets their rookies start initially in camp, so Troy Fautanu will initially work with the second team. As for Broderick Jones, he is slated to remain as the starter and, ideally, will improve upon his average rookie season.

Fautanu will be the top backup initially in camp. While there will be days that he rotates in with the starters, he will start his career behind Moore. More interesting is Dylan Cook. A camp standout from last year, he could push for a core backup spot, and if he does, it could force Moore off the roster.

The last two names are long-shots. Devery Hamilton has the makings of a camp sleeper given his size and previous experience. He could push for a roster spot with a Cook-like camp. Tyler Beach has really bad length, and while he may start out at tackle, a move inside could be best for his career long term.

Interior Offensive Line

Starters: Isaac Seumalo, Nate Herbig, James Daniels

Backups: Spencer Anderson, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick

Next in line: Ryan McCollum, Anderson Hardy, Joey Fisher

Like offensive tackle, Zach Frazier will initially start as the backup center when camp gets underway. This isn’t a question of if he will take over for Nate Herbig though, it is a matter of when. Frazier will be the starter by the time the regular season begins. The starting guards are also set with no room for movement.

Spencer Anderson is quickly becoming a forgotten man along the offensive line. The Steelers are positioning him to focus on his play at guard, but he can move around the line. He will initially be a backup but needs to prove himself to keep a roster spot. Mason McCormick might be the most overhyped rookie in this class and will more than likely be inactive for the season.

Ryan McCollum is becoming a practice squad/training camp regular for this team. He is a natural backup center but can also play guard in a pinch. Anderson Hardy had some hype at the Chiefs camp a year ago and can legitimately play any position on the line. Joey Fisher is a road grader who needs to pass block better.

Defensive Line:

Starters: Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton (NT), Larry Ogunjobi

Backups: Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams (NT), Isaiahh Loudermilk

Next in line: DeMarvin Leal, Breiden Fehoko (NT), Logan Lee, Jonathan Marshall, Jacob Slade, Willington Previlon

The Steelers enter training camp with one or two open positions on this depth chart, meaning the battles should be fierce. The starting positions, however, are not up for grabs. Cam Heyward will continue his impressive Steelers career while we should be expecting big things from Keeanu Benton in year two. Larry Ogunjobi has been a disappointment since he was signed, but he is the best option that this team has right now.

The backups are also mostly set. Dean Lowry should be the top backup defensive end. He is a capable run defender and can handle a healthy amount of snaps in rotation. Ditto to Montravius Adams who will resume his role as the backup nose tackle. Isaiahh Loudermilk is in a fight at camp, but I expect him to see the initial second-team reps.

DeMarvin Leal is the biggest wildcard of the bunch. Early reports have been good, but he is coming off an off-season that saw him get benched and rarely play during his second season. He needs to be dynamic if he wants to make the team. Logan Lee is a rookie in the mold of Lowry and Loudermilk. I have him on the outside looking in, and he needs to play better than Loudermilk to make the team.

Edge Rushers

Starters: T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith

Backups: Nick Herbig, Jeremiah Moon

Next in line: Kyron Johnson, David Perales, Julius Welschof

This is another group that appears to be mostly set. T.J. Watt is arguably the best defender in the NFL and Alex Highsmith has developed into a formidable starter across from him. This duo is the strength of the team and one of the best in the business.

Nick Herbig shined in a reserve role last year despite being undersized, and he should see an increased role in year two. He could prove to be a great backup and chip in some more sacks. Jeremiah Moon and Kyron Johnson will battle it out for the fourth and final spot, and Moon has the better size and traits making him the early favorite.

Off-Ball Linebackers

Starters: Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts

Backups: Payton Wilson, Mark Robinson

Next in line: Tyler Matakevich, Jacoby Windham, Tyler Murray

Injured: Cole Holcomb

A slightly unique group given the status of Cole Holcomb, I can’t see him getting notable reps with the team right away as he is still rehabbing his injury. As of this writing, he hasn’t been placed on the PUP list, but that is certainly possible given the timeline of his recovery.

Patrick Queen was the big free agency prize this offseason for the Steelers and will figure to be the every-down starter. Elandon Roberts was a surprisingly effective player even outside of run defense a year ago and will retain his starting role initially. Payton Wilson begins with the second team but I would expect him to rotate in with the starters regularly.

Mark Robinson is the next in line as a backup on defense, but he is fighting for a roster spot. If Holcomb is healthy by the start of the season, he would be relegated to the fifth linebacker on the depth chart, and Tyler Matakevich is the far better special teams player. He needs to have the best camp of his life to stick on the active roster.

Cornerback

Starters: Joey Porter, Donte Jackson, Cam Sutton (slot)

Backups: Darius Rush, Cory Trice, Josiah Scott (slot)

Next in line: Anthony Averett, Beanie Bishop (slot), Grayland Arnold (slot), Thomas Graham, Kalon Barnes

The outside cornerback battle will be a fun one. While Joey Porter and Donte Jackson will start, there is a three-headed monster at backup, and only two will likely be kept. Cory Trice is everyone’s darling, but he is completely unproven. Darius saw some work with the defense last year and should have the early advantage there. Don’t discount Anthony Averett either, as he has the experience to push both for a roster spot.

In the slot, Cameron Sutton figures to be the top option initially for the team. His suspension will put his roster spot at risk though, and the Steelers will want to see what they have with the other names on their roster. Josiah Scott has the most experience as a slot cornerback while Beanie Bishop and Grayland Arnold also figure to be involved in the slot battle during training camp.

The rest of the roster is fighting for air right now. A benefit for them is that both gunner roles on punt coverage are wide open, so making an impact there could earn them a spot. There should be healthy competition everywhere in the cornerback room.

Safety

Starters: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott

Backups: Damontae Kazee, Miles Killebrew

Next in line: Ryan Watts, Nathan Meadors

The starters don’t appear to be in question this summer. After a year of experimenting with multi-safety looks at strong safety, this team has a capable box defender back on the roster in DeShon Elliott. He and Minkah Fitzpatrick will form a good tandem with the hope that his stability will allow Fitzpatrick to get back to his elite ways.

The backups are also set. Damontae Kazee is a valuable defensive back who can wear a lot of hats for the defense. Miles Killebrew is a far more impactful special teams player than defender, but he has gotten snaps there when injuries forced him onto the field. He will naturally see snaps there this summer.

Ryan Watts appears to be making a full-time switch to safety as a rookie. He will need to prove his worth to warrant keeping five safeties, and he will have to carve out a role on special teams. Nate Meadors is a lackluster name for the team at this point and I don’t see a path to the roster for him.

Specialists

Kicker: Chris Boswell, Matthew Wright

Punter: Cameron Johnston

Long Snapper: Christian Kuntz

This group is chalk at this point, and there is only “competition” at kicker. The reason for the quotes should be pretty clear. Chris Boswell is one of the best in the business right now, and while Matthew Wright has enjoyed some success in the NFL, he won’t be pushing Boswell for his spot anytime soon.

Cameron Johnston is now one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL and figures to give the Steelers some stability at the position. Christian Kuntz has been a steady snapper for the team and has no competition for his spot. Training camp will be spent on the three getting used to each other and not in competition.