My Steelers 53 prediction..... Pre camp edition

I may have some of the details wrong. Point was they didn't keep 4 QBs. Jones got his walking papers. Mason seems to be heading down a similar path IMO.

 

You definitely had the details wrong.

You are also ignoring 2019, when the Steelers did open the season with three quarterbacks on the active roster and one on the practice squad, though that arrangement ended when they traded Dobbs to the Jaguars. That was also a season that the quarterback from the practice squad ended up starting games due to the trade and injuries to Roethlisberger and Rudolph.

So they have opened a season with four quarterbacks, one of them on the practice squad.

There are also factors at play now that weren't in place in 2018. There are more liberal rules for the practice squads. Many teams have a quarterback on the practice squad now. Also, when was the last time the Steelers drafted two quarterbacks in the same season as they did this year? I looked through old drafts and, unless I missed one, they hadn't done that since 1966.

 

Well thanks for the correction.

 

Personally, I'm a bit tired of the jack of all trades, master of none players we keep bringing in.... Yes, position flexibility can be important, but it's high time we have players who actually excel at something...... Avery has experience, but has truly done nothing of any real note in the league

 

Count down is on for training camp. Yea

 

Pickett will and should start.

 

Pickett is not starting Tomlin indicated as much. If Trubisky sucks like I think he does then Kenny will be in around the bye week.

 

I do enjoy these pre Training Camp writes ups for certain. That said, only a bit of a problem here. Since Mike Tomlin has coached in 2007, Pittsburgh has never carried fewer than three QBs into the season. Even if Big Ben is gone, I seriously doubt that is going to change with how Tomlin constructs the final 53. Now, whether or not Mason is going to be a Steeler heading into 2022 remains to be seen. Personally speaking, I still believe he does finish his rookie contract out and heads elsewhere come 2023. That said, given that Omar Kahn is the GM and, for the first time in Steelers History, have an Assistant GM in Andy Weidl, who knows what will happen?



As for the rest of the positional battles that I see on the roster;


WR: Boykin vs. Miller for the final 53 will be one to watch. Whomever is the better ST Player will decide that for certain.

Center: Seriously doubt that Mason Cole will be by himself with zero Center depth. J.C. is one but who is the other? Time will tell

Left Guard: Kendrick Green vs. Kevin Dotson is the literal big one for the entirety of the Offensive Line. Right now Dotson has the advantage but I would not say that, even now, he is the odds on favorite. For me, Dotson is on thinner ice than others are willing to admit after a disappointing sophomore campaign which saw him get injured quite frequently. While Green's overall abilities as a Guard are still to be questioned even though that is his natural spot, heading into year two while training for his natural spot could be the jump start he needs to get his NFL Career back on track.

EDGE: Genard Avery vs. Derrick Tuszka should be interesting for certain. Tuszka is more of the prototype while Avery is more of a hybrid. That said, have to find the better rusher out of the two. Even if one of them makes the final 53, I do expect the Steelers to look around the league during the final week of roster cuts. Could be some surprises that the team could use (such as Joe Haden in 2017).

Strong Safety: Karl Joseph vs. Donovan Stiner is another one that is not being talked about enough. Joseph is the veteran but Stiner quietly had a solid rookie preseason; so much so that he and Rico Bussey where the only UFDA rookies to make it throughout not just the entire 2021 Season but also be able to make it to the 2022 Training Camp as well. Sure, this does not mean he is guaranteed a spot on the roster. However, it also means that he has another year to prove himself to not just make the practice squad again but make the final 53 all together.


Honorable mentions:

IDL: Chris Wormley vs. Larry Ogunjobi. Wormley vs. Ogunjobi will come down to who is more efficient at what specific task as opposed to overall skillset for both are roughly even from my point of view. Wormley possess the superior abilities to stuff the run while Ogunjobi has a better degree of rushing the passer. That said, this battle was left out as both are likely to serve as a rotation based on the opponent as opposed to based on who is outright better (in which case neither have something that supercedes the other)

Backup Running Back to Najee Harris: Much has been made about Benny Snell... and for good reason. He is a short yardage back who... sadly cannot do much in such a situation. Needless to say, this is it for him in terms of his NFL story if he cannot make it. However, this was also omitted from my list for Benny's biggest contribution still comes in the form of Special Teams; a truly underrated yet critical component of any successful NFL Team. While it would be nice to see someone like Mateo Durant supplant the likes of Snell, one other area that Snell supplants Durant handily is his ability to pass protect; very crucial and doubly so for even a mobile QB like Trubisky. The final aspect though as to why I am not putting much, if any stock, into this battle for now is the abundance of running backs that will be available as the Preseason concludes. Plenty of 'Backs will be available by then which means plenty of choices to chooses from.

 

Say what? Dobbs was here a year before Mason.

 

You forgot to list what year

Is he starting the 12th game because of injury

There is a lack of detail here

 

How does Conner Heyward make it at tight end? He's 6 foot tall. We have 3 tight ends that are better options than him on the team right now. I just don't see it happening

 

If you've been keeping up, then you would know that te is where they've been working him out and experimenting with matchups..

 

I understand where they've been working him out. My comment is my belief that he has no future at tight end. He seems to be one of those guys that might be a special teams guy but I don't think the Steelers are going to hold a roster spot for special teams

 

Derek Watt is basically nothing more than a special teamer

 

correct. There are not going to be two. Perhaps they'll use a fullback a little more this year or not. Maybe Dereck doesn't make the team this year. But between the two I'm keeping Watt. I guess we'll just have to disagree

 

He should start game 1 based on what I've heard. He was the most "pro ready" and taken in round 1. That's a day 1 starter.

 

If he gives you the best chance to win game 1 yes

If not no

Training camp and preseason will be fun to watch if for this reason alone

 

As a H-back

 

I’m guessing Rudolph’s main competition is Mitch. They’re not cutting their no 1 pick unless he completely craps the bed (which he won’t).

Suffice to say Rudolph has an uphill battle to make the team as Trubisky looks like the more talented and athletic QB

 

Exactly

 

I can't wait for all the position battles that should be up for grabs
in this training camp. I like our depth at certain positions, I hope camp is hot
so, our players can get into great shape for the season. And pray for no injuries.

 

That’s why it makes no sense that people are saying Hayward will see time at FB. Our FB doesn’t see time at FB.

 

Training camp starts Wed the 27th at ~2pm.
The competitions begin.
I'm not sure I want to try to predict the final roster, other than the obvious.

• Aug 15 - Prior to 4:00p.m., 85 players will advance, 5 will walk.
• August 23 - 5 more will walk as team reduce to 80.
• August 30 - The final 53 roster

I like who the Steelers are bringing to camp, I like the hot competition spots.
The main one, at least for me, is QB.
Mitch is the front runner - I feel like he should be.
Kenny will be clipboard caddy, and I feel like that's the way to bring him on.
Mason is probably the bubble guy and he needs to really have a good camp.
Chris is a really long shot.

 

Heyward is more versatile than Derek, if he makes the 53 I wouldn't be surprised to see him get snaps on offense.

 

I would bet money they both make the team.
Steelers make team ....like a family...like no other team.