The Steelers now have two preseason games in the books, though my third roster prediction won’t shift much from my previous one. I am changing, though, arguably the most notable, or at least controversial, move that I made last time. I won’t spoil anything, though, because honestly, even as I write this sentence, I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do yet.
One note: I won’t be projecting anything more than a 53-man roster until after the Steelers’ final preseason game. There are just too many variables when you’re trying to put together a practice squad in advance. Chances are a quarter of the squad will be made up of players from other teams. It’s fun to think about, but I won’t indulge just yet.
Offense (25):
Quarterback (3): Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard
After keeping Skylar Thompson on my last 53-man roster prediction, he now exits, the Steelers willing to risk losing him through waivers. I base this on the progress Howard appears to be making, perhaps ready to return to action next week or the week after. This could still go either way, of course, and an accurate prediction is impossible without inside information.
Running Back (3): Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell
This group is staying the same, and it was always going to. Warren, Johnson, and Gainwell are the running backs on the Steelers’ roster. Trey Sermon and Lew Nichols have looked good in spurts in the preseason, but there’s the practice squad.
Wide Receiver (6): DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek, Ke’Shawn Williams
Although Austin is on the mend, he seemed unsure if he would be ready for the regular season. Also, Ben Skowronek is dealing with a toe injury. Largely for that reason, I am keeping six wide receivers on the Steelers’ initial roster. I debated which receiver it would be, and ultimately, I’m guessing it will be Gabe Davis. I won’t include him on the roster unless or until he signs, though. At first, I put down Brandon Johnson, which is what I might do. Then I thought about how the Steelers might view things and wrote down Robert Woods.
Given Austin’s injury and Williams’ punt returning, I finally landed on him. It also allows me to be just a bit different, which…doesn’t matter, I guess. His stay on the Steelers’ roster would be short even if this happens, though. And as I said, I’m thinking Gabe Davis will be on the actual roster by September.
Tight End (4): Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
As will be the case with most positions on this roster, the Steelers stick with the obvious at tight end. JJ Galbreath was a fun storyline, but he can marinate on the practice squad for a year.
Offensive Line (9): Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, Ryan McCollum, Calvin Anderson, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook
We could see some jumbling here in the future, and Calvin Anderson’s lingering injury is a concern. Alex Kozora included Andrus Peat on his latest 53-man roster, and I could easily do the same. If Anderson lands on IR, he would be the obvious choice. Max Scharping is still worth mentioning with Ryan McCollum not all the way back. I would rather not make roster predictions for the Steelers based on temporary injuries, but that’s reality.
Defense (25):
Defensive Line (6): Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Daniel Ekuale, Isaiahh Loudermilk
The first five spots are pretty much locks. Loudermilk has been on the Steelers’ roster for years, but Esezi Otomewo and Logan Lee are in the mix during the finale. They could keep seven defensive linemen, but I don’t think the depth is good enough to warrant it. They have a bunch of bottom-of-the-roster guys, and most of those guys end up off the roster.
Outside Linebacker (4): T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer
The edge rusher group is the most entrenched on the Steelers’ roster, and for good reason. If there is one position that will be the same on every roster prediction you find, it’ll be this one. If you’re comparing and contrasting my Steelers roster predictions, you’ll notice the previous two sentences are unchanged from last week. That’s how secure this group is.
Inside Linebacker (5): Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison, Cole Holcomb, Mark Robinson
The Steelers are working Carson Bruener very heavily on special teams, and Mark Robinson is hardly working there at all. But that’s because they want to see what Bruener can do, and they already know what Robinson can. This is Bruener’s only shot of making the Steelers’ roster. Even with Holcomb not coming through on special teams so far, I think they view him as too strong an insurance policy on defense to cut loose.
Cornerback (6): Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Brandin Echols, Beanie Bishop Jr., James Pierre
Cory Trice Jr. could sneak his way back onto the Steelers’ roster after getting back onto the practice field. If his legs work, he’ll want to play in the finale. For now, though, this group looks the same. The back end isn’t exciting—but just look at the front.
Safety (4): DeShon Elliott, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Miles Killebrew
Another group that is very secure on the Steelers’ roster, with Chuck Clark solidifying his job. Sebastian Castro has made some plays late in preseason games, but that won’t be enough. He’s played a lot on special teams but hasn’t flashed enough to sneak on. Practice squad it is.
Specialist: Chris Boswell, Cameron Johnston, Christian Kuntz
Christian Kuntz suffered an injury in Saturday’s preseason game, but Steelers HC Mike Tomlin described it as short term, so he should hopefully be on the opening day roster. If he’s not, an IR stint would depend on the severity of the injury. If he’ll only miss a couple games, the Steelers could sign Jake McQuaide to their practice squad. They can elevate him to the game day roster three times before having to sign him to the active roster.
