Predicting the Steelers initial 2020 53-man roster
It’s that time again folks, where the leaves are ready to fall and many young men will be out of a job in the NFL after attempting, and many succeeding, to win our hearts this offseason with their hard work.
These predictions are always difficult for me to do because they feel cold and callous: much like the actual business of pro football. Many good athletes will be released from their teams when they trim rosters down to 53.
With few exceptions, I do believe the Steelers roster is fairly cut and dry. Here is my attempt at filling out the 53 along with some comments on each position.
Note: these projections assume all players are healthy and not a part of the COVID-19 reserve list.
Quarterbacks (3)
Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges
Big Ben’s roster spot is safe, obviously, but what of the other quarterbacks competing in camp?
I’d say that Mason Rudolph, who the Steelers moved up to draft, and had a first round grade by their scouts, is going nowhere. Experience, good or bad, likely moves his needle up and keeps him as the team’s second option.
Devlin Hodge’s experience likely gives him the edge as well, where most NFL teams don’t have a third quarterback who any experience at all. Paxton Lynch was not looked at to play last year; despite his first round pedigree and experience, this doesn’t bode well toward making a roster that Hodges fought to get on last season.
Therefore my edge goes to the “Duck” to snag the other passer position on the depth chart.
Running Backs (5)
James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, Derek Watt
James Conner is a year removed from making the Pro Bowl and is in a contract season – he’ll be hungry to prove 2019 was a fluke.
Jaylen Samuels provides enough utility to remain on the roster, leaving second-year back Benny Snell as the primary backup to Conner and looking to make a leap after an up-and-down rookie season.
Rookie Anthony McFarland will jump incumbents Trey Edmunds and Kerrith Whyte on the depth chart, while veteran Wendell Smallwood appears to be a long-shot to make the team.
Watt was signed in the offseason to replace Roosevelt Nix.
Wide Receivers (6)
JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Diontae Johnson, Ryan Switzer, Deon Cain, Chase Claypool
The top three are all locks to make the roster, as is the rookie Claypool. Looking around the roster, I feel as though the Steelers could wait to play “Mapletron” right away and retain a similar player, Cain, who didn’t get a full shake in 2019, joining the team late in the season.
Ryan Switzer’s inclusion will get me hate mail, but the team will view him as a slot receiver and a backup returner; the latter of which is why his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
Tight Ends (3)
Vance McDonald, Eric Ebron, Zach Gentry
With two studs atop the depth chart, all eyes will be on the development of second-year pro Gentry and the added Dax Raymond formerly of the Bears.
I don’t see the Steelers keeping four, so I’m sticking with the guy they’ve had longer. However, Raymond could impress and make the team, but he has a very short window to do so (especially without preseason games).
Offensive Linemen (9)
Alejandro Villanueva, Stefen Wisniewski, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Matt Feiler, Chukwuma Okorafor, Zach Banner, Derwin Gray, Kevin Dotson
There’s no mindblowing moves to be made here: the top seven names are all veterans while Gray was drafted last season and Dotson is a rookie.
None of the other linemen strike me as making a splash to jump any of these names on the depth chart soon.
Defensive Linemen (6)
Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu, Chris Wormley, Daniel McCullers, Isaiah Buggs
Like the offensive line, the defensive line features a fairly obvious selection of players who should make the squad, including the bottom portion of McCullers and Buggs.
Their competition includes former XFL star Cavon Walker and seventh round pick Carlos Davis, who would have to make a major impression to hang on. (Or maybe my six receiver prediction is too rich, and the Steelers keep 7 players here?)
Linebackers (8)
Bud Dupree, T.J. Watt, Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, Alex Highsmith
Devin Bush,Vince Williams, Ulysses Gilbert, Robert Spillane
The only surprise here is how few linebackers I see making the team. The Steelers have quite a few undrafted players and street free agents in camp, including Tuzar Skipper, who impressed last year but was released, went to the Giants, and then returned later in the year.
Spillane has been a practice squad player who quietly got called up to the active roster during 2019. Gilbert, a rookie last season, returns from IR.
Cornerbacks (5)
Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, Justin Layne
The same group from last year returns sans Artie Burns. With no movement in free agency or the draft, the Steelers are set with their cornerbacks.
Safeties (5)
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Jordan Dangerfield, Curtis Riley, Antoine Brooks
Depth could be a concern here, which is why I see veteran (and off/on practice squad player) Dangerfield making the team, along with newly signed Curtis Riley (who is a year removed from being a starter with the Giants).
Antoine Brooks is a rookie who could theoretically be used as a dimebacker, hedging any bets about keeping more linebackers on the roster for a similar role – and expanding the last year’s group of four safeties to five.
Specialists (3)
Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry, Kameron Canaday
Jordan Berry is in the most jeopardy here, with Corliss Waitman competing with him in camp.
Boswell has the inside track on his position until further notice.
Full 53-man Roster Breakdown
| # | Pos | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QB | Ben Roethlisberger |
| 2 | QB | Mason Rudolph |
| 3 | QB | Devlin Hodges |
| 4 | RB | James Conner |
| 5 | RB | Jaylen Samuels |
| 6 | RB | Benny Snell |
| 7 | RB | Anthony McFarland Jr. |
| 8 | FB | Derek Watt |
| 9 | WR | JuJu Smith-Schuster |
| 10 | WR | Diontae Johnson |
| 11 | WR | James Washington |
| 12 | WR | Chase Claypool |
| 13 | WR | Ryan Switzer |
| 14 | WR | Deon Cain |
| 15 | TE | Vance McDonald |
| 16 | TE | Eric Ebron |
| 17 | TE | Zach Gentry |
| 18 | OL | Alejandro Villanueva |
| 19 | OL | Stefen Wisniewski |
| 20 | OL | Maurkice Pouncey |
| 21 | OL | David DeCastro |
| 22 | OL | Matt Feiler |
| 23 | OL | Chukwuma Okorafor |
| 24 | OL | Zach Banner |
| 25 | OL | Derwin Gray |
| 26 | OL | Kevin Dotson |
| 27 | DL | Cameron Heyward |
| 28 | DL | Stephon Tuitt |
| 29 | DL | Tyson Alualu |
| 30 | DL | Chris Wormley |
| 31 | DL | Daniel McCullers |
| 32 | DL | Isaiah Buggs |
| 33 | OLB | Bud Dupree |
| 34 | OLB | T.J. Watt |
| 35 | OLB | Alex Highsmith |
| 36 | OLB | Olasunkanmi Adeniyi |
| 37 | ILB | Devin Bush |
| 38 | ILB | Vince Williams |
| 39 | ILB | Ulysses Gilbert |
| 40 | ILB | Robert Spillane |
| 41 | CB | Joe Haden |
| 42 | CB | Steven Nelson |
| 43 | CB | Mike Hilton |
| 44 | CB | Cameron Sutton |
| 45 | CB | Justin Layne |
| 46 | S | Minkah Fitzpatrick |
| 47 | S | Terrell Edmunds |
| 48 | S | Jordan Dangerfield |
| 49 | S | Curtis Riley |
| 50 | S | Antoine Brooks |
| 51 | K | Chris Boswell |
| 52 | P | Jordan Berry |
| 53 | LS | Kameron Canaday |
