Steelers Way-to-Early Roster Prediction: 53 Early Impressers
PITTSBURGH -- We are a little less than a month away from the Pittsburgh Steelers' first preseason game of the 2021 season. Exciting or nerve-wracking?
Probably both for the 90 players looking to earn their spot on the team's 53-man roster. And for the next month and change, these competitions will only heat up.
While developments, breakout players and surprise cuts are still yet to happen, there's a sense of who will be on the Steelers' team come Week 1. So, let's make some way-to-early predictions on who finds their way to Pittsburgh's NFL roster this fall.
Quarterback:
- Ben Roethlisberger
- Mason Rudolph
- Dwayne Haskins
The Steelers don't keep four quarterbacks despite a fairly competitive mix of backups. Josh Dobbs has the least amount of upside amongst those behind Big Ben, leaving him as the odd man out.
Don't count this as a depth chart, no one's saying Rudolph is a lock to be the No. 2 yet.
Running Back:
- Najee Harris
- Anthony McFarland
- Benny Snell Jr.
- Jaylen Samuels
- Derek Watt (FB)
Harris is a definite, and people might be surprised by how productive McFarland is this year. A speedy back with good hands seems to be the right fit for Matt Canada's offense.
Samuels hasn't looked like someone the Steelers want on the field. Not just this summer, throughout his career. Still, Kalen Balage isn't beating him out just yet.
Wide Receiver:
- JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Chase Claypool
- Diontae Johnson
- James Washington
- Ray-Ray McCloud
This isn't even a question. The Steelers didn't draft a wide receiver which means they're pretty comfortable with the five they have on deck. McCloud might have been a maybe if he wasn't included in Roethlisberger's reps during individual drills.
These five are a lock.
Tight End:
- Eric Ebron
- Pat Freiermuth
- Zach Gentry
While some say Kevin Radar is the third man to sneak his way onto the roster, Gentry has the upper hand. He looks bigger than he did last season, probably feels more comfortable on the field and has the support of his teammates.
The Steelers will need to find a way to use him early in the season before Radar's special teams ability start to become a bigger factory than Gentry riding the bench.
Offensive Tackle:
- Zach Banner
- Chukwuma Okorafor
- Joe Haeg
The Steelers used their first four picks in the NFL Draft to bring in offensive players. By their fourth pick, they started running out of juice, because Dan Moore Jr. is not ready to take on guys like T.J. Watt.
Moore looks stiff and out of place on the field so far. That might change once pads come out, but it's hard to imagine he beats out a veteran like Haeg for the final tackle spot.
Offensive Guard:
- Trai Turner
- Kevin Dotson
- B.J. Finney
- Rashaad Coward
Until Finney starts showing he's the No. 1 center, his best asset to this team is as a backup swing guard. It's what he played for five seasons before he took off for Seattle and it's how he contributes best to an NFL line.
Coward has taken all the reps at right guard so far this offseason. That'll change with Turner joining the team at training camp but with Finney and J.C. Hassenauer competing at center, Coward has plenty of time to earn his place.
Center:
- Kendrick Green
- J.C. Hassenauer
Again, this isn't a depth chart, it's a roster prediction. Hassenauer and Green are pretty set-in-stone as the centers heading into 2021. Finney might find himself as the starter, but we'll save that for another article.
Defensive Tackle/End:
- Cameron Heyward
- Tyson Alualu
- Stephon Tuitt
- Chris Wormley
- Carlos Davis
- Henry Mondeaux
The shocker here is fifth-round pick Isaiahh Loudermilk who the Steelers traded a fourth-round pick to move up and draft. Unfortunately, he's still listed at 240-pounds and that's way too small to contribute on the defensive line.
Loudermilk probably has better upside than Davis or Mondeaux, but until he's NFL ready, these two have the upper-hand. He'll land on the practice squad and try to earn his way onto the active roster.
Outside Linebacker:
- T.J. Watt
- Alex Highsmith
- Cassius Marsh
- Free Agent Signing
Turner wasn't the last time you'll see the Steelers dig into free agency this summer. With Marsh and Quincy Roche being the team's best options as edge rushing backups, Pittsburgh needs a veteran.
It most-likely won't be a big name with a mega payday. It'll probably be more like Jayrone Elliott.
Inside Linebacker:
- Devin Bush
- Robert Spillane
- Vince Williams
- Marcus Allen
- Buddy Johnson
Five inside linebackers seems like a lot but the Steelers will bank on Marcus Allen and Buddy Johnson to be the special teams contributors while the other three play defense.
Safety:
- Minkah Fitzpatrick
- Terrell Edmunds
- Tre Norwood
- Miles Killebrew
Killebrew is replacing Jordan Dangerfield, so his spot on the roster is pretty set-in-stone. Norwood is a sixth-round pick who is already getting compared to Cam Sutton. What's that mean? Right now, it means the Steelers can hold off on signing Malik Hooker. By the season, it could earn him some actually playing time.
Outside Cornerback:
- Joe Haden
- Cameron Sutton
- James Pierre
- Justin Layne
Slot Cornerback:
- Antoine Brooks Jr.
- Arthur Maulet
- Shakur Brown
Replacing Mike Hilton will be a group effort and the Steelers will look to keep the best trio together to try and do so. Brooks is the early favorite to land the starting job, but Maulet is a veteran who understands most roles in the secondary. With so many young players making the team, he's valuable.
Brown is the exciting undrafted rookie who should've been the next Hilton. He probably won't be, but the team likely keeps him around to find out if I'm wrong.
Special Teams:
- Chris Boswell
- Pressley Harvin III
- Cam Canaday
Yes, Harvin beats out Jordan Berry for the punting job. Honestly, it'd be better for team moral if they kept them both and made them compete all season. Nothing is more electric than these two booting punts during camp. Seriously.
