Breaking down the Steelers’ roster
Everyone无毛视频檚 doing it 无毛视频� kind of like mock drafts anymore, these 53-man rosters.
Anyway, I无毛视频檓 doing a 52-man roster. Gotta keep one spot open for tonight, right? Then I can write all day Friday about who should fill that last spot. Oh, the clicks!
But here无毛视频檚 my 无毛视频� not so much my prediction 无毛视频� but here无毛视频檚 what I would do. And since this team fancies itself a championship contender, I无毛视频檒l lean to vets who can help now when in a tie with upside.
QB 无毛视频� Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Joshua Dobbs.
Notes: Duck Devlin made a couple of unbelievable throws the other day and I无毛视频檓 actually starting to agree with the fan base on this alleged nobody out of Samford. People are making good points, and I watch him more closely and see him flip something sidearm to a back who takes it 20 and I can无毛视频檛 help but like him. But I无毛视频檒l stay resolute in Dobbs for a number of reasons. I无毛视频檓 thinking I can always call the Duck back up. And if he无毛视频檚 claimed on waivers, I无毛视频檒l enjoy watching him from afar. I really will.
RB 无毛视频� James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, Roosevelt Nix, Trey Edmunds.
Notes: Benny Snell can still make the 53 because my last spot goes to the best special-teams player tonight, and Snell无毛视频檚 been pretty good at it. But my choice of Trey Edmunds has to do with his professional pass-blocking. I still don无毛视频檛 trust Samuels in that capacity, and if Conner is hurt in-game I无毛视频檓 going to want Edmunds out there in pass pro. It might save one third down in one key game, and as we saw last season one bad turn can ruin a season.
WR 无毛视频� JuJu Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Ryan Switzer, Diontae Johnson, Diontae Spencer.
Notes: Spencer is just too dynamic not to keep. I just remember Jermaine Lewis being as important as two other Lewises with the 2000 Ravens. A punt returner strikes fear, which causes mistakes, and, again, one play can alter a team无毛视频檚 destiny. I无毛视频檓 also looking for Switzer to expand (i.e. deepen) his game with a QB who clearly enjoys working with him.
TE 无毛视频� Vance McDonald, Xavier Grimble, Zach Gentry.
Notes: The Patriots have been stockpiling tight ends this offseason and yet my understanding is they无毛视频檒l open the season with only one on the roster. The shortage out there is acute! A guy like Gentry might be able to clear waivers and make it back to the practice squad, but he might NOT. And in my one-play season, the 6-8 condor holds on to a TD pass (or three) at a critical moment.
OL 无毛视频� Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Matt Feiler, B.J. Finney, Chuks Okorafor, Zach Banner.
Notes: With the versatility of Feiler and Finney, only need seven active on game day, so why carry Fred Johnson here as a ninth? I believe Johnson will make it back to the practice squad. Yes, he无毛视频檚 massive and strong and long and raw with upside, but he hasn无毛视频檛 been that good. All due respect, Fred, you无毛视频檒l get better, but I无毛视频檓 betting I can get you back. I haven无毛视频檛 watched Hawkins closely enough since he struggled early in camp. Maybe he无毛视频檚 gotten that leg strength back and becomes the No. 9 here. Hate to give up on tackles.
DL 无毛视频� Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Javon Hargrave, Tyson Alualu, Daniel McCullers, Isaiah Buggs.
Notes: I thought maybe Buggs had a minor injury and they could IR him as a stash. They don无毛视频檛 need him right away, but he无毛视频檚 good enough to play at this level. So, if he无毛视频檚 not injured, have to keep him on the 53. McCullers is more savvy than I give him credit. He looked like a monster the other night 无毛视频� Mr. Third Week of August makes another team.
OLB 无毛视频� T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Anthony Chickillo, Ola Adeniyi.
Notes: A real stasher would put Adeniyi on half-season IR, but I can无毛视频檛 do that to him two years in a row. Also, I don无毛视频檛 know the prognosis for his knee. Reports say a couple of weeks but the team doctors know for certain. Losing Sutton Smith and Tuzar Skipper would crush me, but I无毛视频檒l cross my fingers that they无毛视频檒l come back to the practice squad. Again, there无毛视频檚 one spot open for a special-teamer. That favors Smith. D-end types like Skipper usually don无毛视频檛 help on teams, and perhaps that无毛视频檚 why Mike Tomlin hasn无毛视频檛 put him there yet.
ILB 无毛视频� Devin Bush, Mark Barron, Vince Williams, Tyler Matakevich, Ulysees Gilbert.
Notes: I keep hearing they should cut Matakevich, but I think he无毛视频檚 looked great. He无毛视频檚 at his athletic peak and understands both positions and is excellent on special teams. I haven无毛视频檛 watched him closely in games, and perhaps that无毛视频檚 the disconnect I无毛视频檓 having with Twitter无毛视频檚 general view, but I keep him. Gilbert, there无毛视频檚 no way I chance losing that kid. No way.
CB 无毛视频� Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, Artie Burns, Justin Layne.
Notes: Layne无毛视频檚 looked good lately. Would they dare cut Burns? Nah. In great shape, working hard. But if Layne blows up on special teams tonight as a gunner, I may want to make him a game-day active. That could mean goodbye Artie (and hello Tuzar!). I无毛视频檓 assuming Brian Allen will be reclaimed. And I无毛视频檓 sure they would love for Browns castoff Jhavonte Dean to develop down the road, and the CB practice squad job is wide open.
S 无毛视频� Terrell Edmunds, Sean Davis, Kameron Kelly, Jordan Dangerfield.
Notes: Keep Davis无毛视频� ankle injury in mind. Again, we don无毛视频檛 know the complete prognosis. If he might miss a game, that opens the door for Marcus Allen. He finished strong last week 无毛视频� like last preseason. The hard-hitting second-year player could make another solid case with a big game tonight, especially on special teams.
Specialists 无毛视频� Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry, Kameron Kanaday.
Notes: Berry is the veteran that a team with big fancy plans wants and needs.