2021 Steelers Training Camp Preview: The Specialists
It’s hard to believe but the Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 Training Camp is right around the corner. As we countdown the days until camp begins, each week SCU will highlight one position group, detailing the players who will be competing for a spot on the Steelers final 53-man roster at the end of this Summer.
SCU’s training camp preview continues with our last position group to look at, the specialists. Continue reading to find out more about the depth as this position heading into training camp.
Chris Boswell
After a season which saw Boswell make his first, and only Pro Bowl, Steelers Nation wanted him gone in 2018, as rumored injuries were the cause of missed field goals and extra points.
Boswell bet on himself in 2019, postponing a contract bonus until after the preseason, in which he retained his job and proved to be a reliable kicker once more.
There’s been little concern about Boswell’s ability over the last two seasons, as he’s converted on all 29 field goal attempts shorter than 40 yards and has only missed two from the 49-49 range while also making two of his three attempts of 50-plus yards.
Like most kickers in the NFL, he has missed some point-after-attempts – a common site since the league moved the tries back from their chip-shot distance several years ago. Still, the “Wizard of Boz” has hit on 93.9% of his extra point attempts over the last two years.
His job is about as safe as anyone’s on the roster heading into 2021.
Sam Sloman
Signed on July 1st, my thought is that Sloman could be retained on the practice squad in the event Boswell misses any games. (Boz missed three in 2020.)
Other than that, Sloman enters camp to relieve Boswell of too much wear-and-tear during drills, and to also play in the Hall of Fame game, where former Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham suffered a career-ending injury in Canton when the Steelers played in the same exhibition back in 2015.
In other words, they don’t want to risk injuring Boswell for the regular season. That’s why Sloan was signed.
Jordan Berry
Berry hung around last year through training camp before being pushed away for veteran Dustin Colquitt, who was then released for Berry’s return.
Inconsistent play continues to plague Berry, who still had one of his finer seasons in 2020. However, he’s looking over his shoulder while competing to keep his job for the 2021 campaign.
Pressley Harvin III
The Ray Guy Award winner as college football’s best punter, Harvin breaks so many stereotypes we’d need another article to list them all!
Listed at 5-foot-11 and 263 lbs., Harvin isn’t your typical tiny punter – and he has a booming leg (and cheaper contract) which could see him best Berry for the Steelers job this season.
Kameron Canaday
Quietly with the Steelers now for four seasons, Canaday took over for long-time long snapper Greg Warren in 2017.
Being barely noticed is a good sign for any team’s long snapper, and Canaday looks to keep the pace in 2021.
