My updated Pittsburgh Steelers 53-man roster prediction following the team\u2019s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers. There are several changes from my pre-training camp edition, but there are still two more weeks \u2013 and two more games \u2013 to dictate who will grab the final few spots.<\/p>\n
A reminder: this is how I believe the roster will look for Week One\u2019s game against the Atlanta Falcons.<\/p>\n
Below are links to my post-draft and pre-camp predictions. My next roster prediction will be published after the team\u2019s second exhibition outing against the New York Jets.<\/p>\n
Post-Draft Roster Prediction<\/a> Offense \u2013 26<\/p>\n Quarterbacks (4) \u2013 Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Allar<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0Though I\u2019ve floated the idea for a while, none of my roster predictions featured four quarterbacks. Until now. At football\u2019s most premium position, it\u2019s simply hard to show any of these four names the door. Rudolph\u2019s experience is valuable, and the way Mike McCarthy talked earlier this week, he sure sounds like the No. 2 quarterback.<\/p>\n Howard and Allar had strong showings in their NFL debuts,<\/a> and neither looks like someone the team wants to give up on. It\u2019s strange for Pittsburgh to be so heavy here, but they have a strange situation at quarterback. It\u2019s all subject to change, but if the Steelers want to find the future heir to their franchise, they need to keep all their options on the table, not remove them.<\/p>\n Running Backs (4) \u2013 Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis Homer, Riley Nowakowski (FB)<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0One change here, removing Eli Heidenreich for Travis Homer. I already had Kaleb Johnson off my roster prediction entering camp, and his invisible showing in the preseason opener<\/a> only cements that. He\u2019s at the end of the roster and far more likely to be traded for a late 2027 draft pick than make the team.<\/p>\n Homer grabs a spot thanks to his special teams value, working as the personal protector on the punt team. That gives him the slight edge over Lew Nichols, who continues to impress.<\/p>\n Nowakowski is a virtual lock to make the roster.<\/p>\n Wide Receivers (6) \u2013 DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard, Ben Skowronek, Kaden Wetjen<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0No changes here. The question will focus on the battle for the No. 3 spot between Wilson and Bernard. Wilson earned the buzz in camp. Bernard earned it in the game. Bernard still has to work on the details, though, which could give Wilson the edge.<\/p>\n Pittman\u2019s had an awfully quiet summer. It\u2019s less alarming for a veteran like him, but a strong finish to the month would be encouraging.<\/p>\n Tight Ends (3) \u2013\u00a0Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan<\/p>\n Analysis: Status quo here. Tonyan has played a valuable role for the young quarterbacks<\/a> throughout camp, and he knows the McCarthy system well. There\u2019s a chance Tonyan could be yo-yo\u2019d if the Steelers need a spot for injured player maneuvering come cutdowns, but he should dress for the Week One opener against Atlanta.<\/p>\n Offensive Tackles (4) \u2013 Troy Fautanu, Dylan Cook, Max Iheanachor, Broderick Jones<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0Healthy and practicing in full, including playing more snaps than anyone else in Thursday\u2019s preseason game, Broderick Jones is back on my 53. Pittsburgh could consider trading him, and a strong enough offer like a fourth-round pick would be tempting. Still, tackle depth is valuable, and Iheanachor\u2019s injury, minor as it is, serves as a reminder of that.<\/p>\n Interior Offensive Line (5) \u2013 Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0No changes here. Anderson is in the driver\u2019s seat to win the right guard job. It was tough leaving out Ryan McCollum, the backup center for most of camp, but Hoffman has gotten just enough looks in the middle to make him the No. 2. Of course, he also played plenty at center in Dallas under McCarthy.<\/p>\n Dunker will be a weekly inactive until injuries strike.<\/p>\n Defense \u2013 24<\/p>\n Defensive Ends (4) \u2013 Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Sebastian Joseph-Day<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0Multiple changes along the defensive line. I\u2019m now listing Benton as a defensive end, although I figure Pittsburgh will mix and match throughout the year. Esezito Otomewo and rookie Kevin Jobity Jr. are removed from my prediction. I\u2019m keeping only six defensive linemen, a gamble I\u2019ve made and lost before. But this is a new coaching staff that may not keep seven, as the old regime did over the past several years.<\/p>\n Nose Tackles (2) \u2013 Yahya Black, Gabriel Rubio<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0Black opened the preseason game as first-team nose tackle and may handle the majority of those snaps throughout the season. Rookie Rubio finds his way on the team after an ascending training camp and strong preseason debut<\/a>. He looks and plays like a classic Steelers\u2019 defensive lineman: big, strong, tough, and with a hot motor.<\/p>\n Edge Rushers (4) \u2013 T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0No changes to one of the most solidified groups on the roster. Just remain healthy for the regular season opener. That\u2019s the goal.<\/p>\n Inside Linebackers (5) \u2013 Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Carson Bruener, Elandon Roberts<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0Until Elandon Roberts signed, I was going to roll with just four inside linebackers. But Pittsburgh normally keeps five for depth, and it\u2019s likely one reason why Roberts was brought back.<\/a> He\u2019s cheap, plays the run hard, and knows Patrick Graham\u2019s defense. Determining his role is a little murky, but you\u2019d surely rather have him on your side than face him.<\/p>\n Malik Harrison\u2019s days are numbered.<\/p>\n Cornerbacks (6) \u2013 Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Jalen Ramsey, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandin Echols, Daylen Everette<\/p>\n Analysis:\u00a0A deep and impressive group of cornerbacks, and that\u2019s without Porter taking the field this summer. Pittsburgh must find a way to play Samuel in some sort of sub-package role. A good-looking group.<\/p>\n
Pre-Camp Roster Prediction<\/a><\/p>\n