Getting to know the bottom of the Steelers roster
Word of warning for Pittsburgh Steelers fans preparing to watch tonight无毛视频檚 preseason opener against the Detroit Lions:
Unless you无毛视频檙e a deep-down-the-depth-chart kind of a fan, don无毛视频檛 get too excited.
Ruled out already have been Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le无毛视频橵eon Bell, DeAngelo Williams, Maurkice Pouncey, Markus Wheaton, Travis Feeney, Artie Burns, Senquez Golson, Roy Philon and Jerald Hawkins.
Burns, of course, is the first-round pick, and I expect second-round pick Sean Davis to see minimal time, at best, because of a minor knee injury he无毛视频檚 been icing of late in the middle of practices.
That means the Steelers will be without their offensive star power, and most likely four of their top five draft picks. And I also see several other starters sitting this one out, too.
If you无毛视频檙e still with me in this column, let无毛视频檚 grind on, because many of you watch preseason games for the individual talent at troubled positions anyway, and that无毛视频檚 what I无毛视频檒l talk about first, the troubled positions:
TIGHT END 无毛视频� I无毛视频檝e been beating the drum that this position is in chaos because Ladarius Green hasn无毛视频檛 been close to returning. Now, according to his agent, he无毛视频檚 suffering headaches, possibly as a result of multiple concussions suffered last year. So let无毛视频檚 just assume that Green will remain on the PUP list for considerably more time, and it无毛视频檚 up to Jesse James (81), Xavier Grimble (85) and David Johnson (46) to make something out of the position this season. There are a couple of other extreme long shots, but in my opinion the key guy to watch tonight is Grimble. He无毛视频檚 athletic but inconsistent, and the worry is thaT he and James won无毛视频檛 offer much as blockers. That无毛视频檚 what I无毛视频檒l be watching tonight.
SECONDARY 无毛视频� If Davis (28) plays, he无毛视频檚 a treat. The hope is he无毛视频檚 as good in coverage when the games being as he has been in practice, because there无毛视频檚 no doubting his striking ability. He无毛视频檚 a safety/slot corner if healthy. If he无毛视频檚 not healthy, the key player to watch is Montell Garner (40), who无毛视频檚 been alternating with Davis in the slot with the first-team nickel since Golson has been out. Garner was cut late last camp as a rookie with the Rams. Also, a long shot I无毛视频檒l watch closely tonight is 6-2, 200-pound cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz (44). Out of West Chester State, he无毛视频檚 been in a couple of camps and 无毛视频淗odge无毛视频� is an intriguing developmental prospect.
Can last year无毛视频檚 fourth-round pick Doran Grant (24) make a showing at cornerback? How about the Roy Hobbs story, 30-year-old Donald Washington (30)? He无毛视频檚 been out of the NFL for five years. At safety, Jordan Dangerfield (37) blows stuff up and Pitt无毛视频檚 Ray Vinopal (39) is physical, quick and smart.
Regardless, one of these long shots has to turn into a serviceable player because not only is the starting talent in question, the depth is razor thin.
QUARTERBACK 无毛视频� Dustin Vaughan (13) is the guy you无毛视频檝e never seen. He无毛视频檚 not as bad, in my opinion, as camp reporters have indicated. You can see for yourself tonight. I无毛视频檓 rooting for Bruce Gradkowski (5) to get back into a groove after taking last season off. He needs the reps.
RUNNING BACK 无毛视频� The goal-line runners last Sunday will likely be the bell cows tonight: Fitzgerald Toussaint (33), Daryl Richardson (38) and Cameron Stingily (30). But I like the tough-little-quick guy from Mercyhurst, Brandon Brown-Dukes (24).
WIDE RECEIVER 无毛视频� Sammie Coates (14) is your star power tonight and Eli Rogers (17) just needs to show a little bit as a punt returner to hold off rookie Demarcus Ayers (82) because Rogers has shown plenty in practice as a viable slot receiver. A roster lock in my opinion, Rogers looks like he无毛视频檒l force Ayers to the practice squad. The intriguing long shot is 6-foot-6 Issac Blakeney (16) out of Duke.
OFFENSIVE LINE 无毛视频� With rookie Hawkins out, perhaps 6-9 D-line conversion project Brian Mihalik (6-9) can impress as a second-team tackle. Chris Hubbard (74) and B.J. Finney (67) are in a hot roster battle at G/C.
DEFENSIVE LINE 无毛视频� Javon Hargrave (79), the 无毛视频淕rave Digger,无毛视频� is the man to watch tonight. He无毛视频檒l be on the nose in the 3-4 and at tackle in the 4-3 nickel. Also look for big improvement this preseason from 2015 draft pick L.T. Walton (96). Undrafted rookies Devaunte Sigler (61) and Johnny Maxey (62) are probably the top candidates for the practice squad.
LINEBACKERS 无毛视频� Mike Tomlin didn无毛视频檛 rule out pass-rushers Bud Dupree or Jarvis Jones but both of those first-rounders have been sidelined of late. Nice guys, but it might help the club a bit if they get on the field at some point. I don无毛视频檛 expect Ryan Shazier, Lawrence Timmons or James Harrison to play, either, so the linebacker to watch is second-year pass-rusher Anthony Chickillo (56), one of the most publicized players at training camp. Inside linebackers L.J. Fort (54) and 无毛视频淒irty Red,无毛视频� Temple rookie Tyler Matakevich (46), have also had strong camps.