One Game In The Books: The Final 53.. Take One.

Hello all. Once again, it is your friendly Canadian AskQuestionsLater, bringing you another crack at my attempt to guess the final 53 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This installment is going to easily be different but at the same time going to be within the parameters of logicial intution; the first preseason game being our first basis for evidence. As such, I need to remind everyone that this is essentially one person's opinion and everything you see today will be suject to change. With that out of the way, let us get started shall we?


Quarterbacks:

Every NFL Franchise needs one in order to win games and championships. Arguably the toughest position to play in all of Sports, the American Gridiron Football Quarterback is the backbone of every franchise and can often mean the difference between a "One Shot Wonder" team to a decades worth of excellence; latter of which implies for the Steelers. That being said, here is ours.



Ben Rothelisberger: Hall of Fame for sure. Nothing else need be said.

Landry Jones: Pittsburgh Sports favorite whipping boy. Has helped us punch our ticket into the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. Isn't going anywhere.... yet.

Joshua Dobbs: Ben's new backup in 2018 possibly. For now, he is learning how to adapt in the NFL. His first game against the Giants was obiviously a case of the jitters but rest assured, with those jitters out of the way, expect to see a more composed Dobbs against Atlanta come Sunday.


In short? Nothing new.


Running Backs:

Once a high commodity, running backs have been in decline since the turn of the century. Even with high draft choices like Adrian Peterson, most running backs do not last very long and can be found in the draft farily easily given the nature of the NCAA deploying just about every type of formation and every running back having a style that may assist them should they hone their skills once they reach the NFL level. However, since 2013, the Running Back position has seen a renaissance since. Thanks in part to the likes of Le'veon Bell and David Johnson, the running back position has reclaimed its importance among NFL offenses due to the continual evolution of the game. That being said, let us see our current depth


Le'Veon Bell: Holdout or no holdout, our No.1. Best back in the league. Nothing else to add here hence why I am not going to.


James Conner (Rookie) : Refer to Bell expect add backup and remove the holdout situation. Has fought and defeated the likes of an ACL injury and Leukemia; both career threatening circumstances. No need for him to "pull up his 'Big Boy' pants" like some believe. All he has to do is remain healthy and showcase his skills.


Terrell Watson: He may be a "North/South" runner, but with an offensive line like Pittsburgh's, who is going to argue. Not only does he possess the athletic traits, he also fights for every yard and runs angry and hard. Had a better outing than Knile Davis in my eyes and I expect to see more of an improvement of him for the remainder of the preseason.


Fullbacks:

Unlike the Running Backs, Fullbacks have not seen as much of a successful revival. After their glory days in the 1970's, fullbacks have fallen far from their grace and have not seen any major signifigance since then. Nowadays, Fullbacks are often used in either short yardage or goal line situations. Even run heavy teams like the Minnesota Vikings or Tennessee Titans only deploy fullbacks when needed. Even with their gradual decrease, fullbacks still can play a vital role in today's game for their ability to obtain those tough yards in those tough situations as described above. Given the fact that the Steelers have one.. let us discuss him.

Roosevelt Nix:

He was badly missed in 2015 but came back in 2016 with a vengeance; paving the way for some of Le'veon Bell's best games. Kansas City, Buffalo and at home against Baltimore are just some of the best games Bell had. Part of those victories came from the "Munch Bunch". The other came from Nix himself. Even in the playoff games against Miami and Kansas City, Nix once again became the spearhead; guiding Le'Veon into the Steelers record books for most Rushing Yards by a Running Back in their first two games. His special teams play is just as good as his lead blocking, punishing opposing returners with solid hits. Expect "Rosie" to lead Le'Veon Bell into the opposing front seven this season.


Wide Receiver:


Thanks in part to Don Hutson of the Green Bay Packers of yesteryear, Wide Receivers have become an integral part of NFL offenses. Throughout the years, their sizes and roles have evolved but their narrative remains the same; catch and run as far as you can towards the endzone. In today's game, having a number one receiver just will not cut it anymore; a number two no less. Having a receiving corps is now essential due to the emergence of the "slot corner" and ways defenses can now neutrailze or even slow down ones top receiver. If a team has a great receving corps, their chances of punching their ticket into the playoffs skyrockets... along with great or even good quarterback play. Considering Pittsburgh has arguably the best receiving corps in the league... let us see their roster.


Antonio Brown: Has more catches than any player in a four year span than any other player in NFL history while having more catches, yards and touchdowns than any active player since 2013. He is bound for Canton should he keep this up..... oh wait.


Martavis Bryant: Talent wise? Undisputed number one in the league (yes I said that). Does things even the likes of Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones and even Antonio Brown dream of (that catch in the Wild Car- I mean Grudge Match against Cincinnati in 2015 comes to mind). Issue has been his ability to stay out of trouble. Now that he has just a couple of steps left for reinstatement with renewed focus, he and Antonio Brown, along with Big Ben and Le'veon Bell, can enjoy eviscerating opposing defenses in 2017.

JuJu Smith Schuster (Rookie): I think I can speak on behalf of members of TheSteelersFans that JuJu will not attempt to use his head on plays against opposing defenders again like we saw in his first game of action ever again. Now that he has learned the hard way, look for JuJu to make opposing slot corners learn that way as well as he continues to develop his skills to become not just a top tier slot receiver but also a top redzone target; an issue which ended the Steelers Super Bowl run far more than most are giving it credit for.

Justin Hunter: Sadly, we did not see much of him against the Giants due to an injury. Thankfully though, we will see plenty of him come the 20th against the NFC Defending Champion Atlanta Falcons. Has the "HWS" factor that Tomlin loves about all players in general and now has a place and a coach in Richard Mann where he can effectivley develop. He knows this may be his last chance to earn a spot on a roster.. so let us see how well he does against a worthy opponent.


Sammie Coates: In spite of the naysayers, Sammie Coates had an incredible four week run in 2016 before his injury and his mentality fell down hard. This season though, he appears to have good focus and even better perseverence according to some reports. Sunday, assuming he plays, will be a good litmus test for him to see if those four games to start 2016 were a fluke or not.



Tight Ends:


If Kellen Winslow paved the way for the Receiving Tight End, Rob Gronkowski sure feels like the "retcon" of the position. Not only do these players have to posses receiving and blocking at their standard position alongside either offensive tackle, they also are called upon to do so at the slot position when motioned forward or, in rare cases, utilized there in a sub package. Prior to that, tight ends were essentially an additional offensive lineman who was simply tasked to catch a handful of passes a game. Nowadays, not only are they just seam busting, redzone targets like Kellen Winslow once was, tight ends need to be able to do all of these tasks while being asked to play at multiple spots like Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots does. While Pittsburgh does not have an Elite Tight End, there is still plenty to be excited about regarding its depth. Let us take a look.


Jesse James: It just seems so vexing now in comparison to what he was back in 2015. His debut at the Hall of Fame game against the Minnesota Vikings was by far his worst. Ever since then, however, he has made great strides to improve himself. 2016 turned out to be the beginning of the fruits that bore labor as Ladaruis Green could not stay healthy; paving the way for Jesse James to get a crack into the starting lineup. Given the fact he was the only other player not named Antonio Brown who yielded production against both Kansas City and New England in the two playoff games, Jesse has more than earned his keep in my book and will be a positive contribution towards Pittsburgh's efforts in the coming season. With increased blocking skills and his reliable hands as a secruity blanket, Big Ben and Le'Veon Bell will be just as happy as "The Outlaw" is now.



David Johnson: Still the best blocker on the team and still a good depth option. Until "The X Man" unseats him, DJ is the second best option.


Xaiver Grimble: Has the seam busting potential you want in a tight end but needs to continue to get better.. which I believe he will. In time, he just may become the number two but for now, rounding out his skillset comes first.


Offensive Lineman:


From Lombardi's Packers to the "Great Wall of Dallas", the offensive lineman has been at the forefront of every single NFL franchise since the first ever NFL Game was played back in November 12, 1892 between the Pittsburgh Athletic Club and the Allegheny Athletic Club. Since that day, every NFL team has had developed good or even great offensive lines at some point (yes guys, the Cleveland Browns of the 1940's and 1950's had them) and teams will often use a high draft pick, be it offensive tackle, offensive guard or center to build their units. For a long time since Anthony Munoz, teams have had to counter edge rushers like Lawrence Taylor by spending a high draft pick on a Left Tackle; once considered to be the second most important position on the offensive side of the ball. Since the 2010's however, some teams have made a drastic change in this philosophy. Due to the increased usage of sub packages, teams with top flight edge rushing threats like the Houston Texans or Seattle Seahawks have deployed their top weapons in Micheal Bennent and J.J. Watt in different areas of the defense; rendering the offensive tacke, once a valued position, ineffective. Now, Defensive Coordinators will use their best defenders to attack weak points within the opposition's offensive line. Much like an "Arms Race" between opposing militaries, NFL teams now understand the importance of balancing out the offensive line as opposed to building a line based off of ones strengths. Considering the Steelers have done said statement since the AFL/NFL merger in the 1970's explains just a fraction as to why they are the NFL's most successful team. Be it from the likes of Mike Webster to even "weak links" like Max Starks, understanding the value of building offensive lines has been a strongsuit for the Steelers. Now, let us see what the current Steelers depth has.


Alejandro Villenueva: Now that the contract dispute is out of the way, Big Al can protect Big Ben's blindside knowing he will receive full compensation. It is truly awe inspiring given his road to get to where he is now almost ended three years ago after being cut in the offseason by the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike Tomlin definitley took quite the project at the time given the fact that the Eagles used him on defense at end. Three years later (one on the Practice Squad and two on the roster) under Hall of Famer Mike Munchak, Big Al has become a top 15 Left Tackle in the game. While he did not play against New York due to a concussion, I do expect him to play against Atlanta.


Ramon Foster: He may be the elder statesman of the offensive lineman, but do not let his age fool you. He and Kelechi Osemele are two of three offensive guards to not give up a sack or pressure last season. Considering that, like Big Al, Foster had heavy odds stacked against him back in 2009 when he was undrafted, his story is also nothing short of a success story. He and Big Al prove that pedigree is not always the basis for developing a good offensive line unit.


Maurkice Pouncey: 2013 and 2015 were not kind to the multi year Pro Bowl Center; robbing him of two seasons. However, that does not mean Maurkice has lost any of his legendary athleitc ability as a center. Second only to Travis Federick, Maurkice Pouncey has had a very successful career. Should his career continue as such, he could join his fellow lineman of yesteryear in Dawson and Webster.


David DeCastro: It did take some time but now, David DeCastro is a top 10 offensive guard in the game. He is now equally adept at pass protection as he is run blocking. It is difficult to say if DeCastro will have his own gold jacket someday unlike Maurkice due to the players that play his position like Zach Martin or Brandon Scherff but should he continue onward with this path and earns some hardware, there is no reason to say he will not join even Pouncey.


Marcus Gilbert: Easily the most underrated offensive tackles of this decade, Marcus Gilbert has played at an elite level since 2014 but has never earned any sort of recognition from his peers. Why that is I am not so sure. I do know that I can speak on behalf on TheSteelersFans community that this is the year that Marcus will finally capture not just an All Pro nomination but also that elusvie Pro Bowl invite as well.


B.J. Finney: Ramon's successor in the wings and one of my favorite players from the 2015 draft class in spite of the fact he went undrafted; surprising many. One would think a finalist for the Ringminton Trophy would be on an NFL Roster; much less a player from Kansas State where what you see is truly what you get. Well.. one team's misjudgement became Pittsburgh's triumph as B.J. was well on his way to cracking the final 53 back in his rookie season. However, on the semi final play against the Carolina Panthers... Finney's dreams, along with my hopes, ended with him getting injured. However, he would not just get promoted to the 53 later that season but also had his coming out party last season against Buffalo. While he did make great strides during the 2016 preseason, his big game against the Bills in place of Ramon Foster's absence punched his ticket into being Ramon's heir appearent. The moment Ramon cannot do it anymore is when the moment B.J. will be pressed into the starting role. Make no mistake, while he still has some work to do at center, his improvement in that area plus his abilities as a guard have already shown Mike Tomlin that the future is bright for the Steelers interior.


Chris Hubbard: Second only to the Landry Jo- I mean "Whipping Boy", Chris' resentment from SteelersNation has always been one of fascination with me. While I understood the setiment and was among them, a part of me did want Chris to silence his critics. After Marcus Gilbert hurt himself against the Chiefs last season and Ryan Harris soon thereafter, Chris' moment to shine came and he delivered. After Gilbert's return, Todd Haley had awarded Chris more playing time by using him as a tackle eligible receiver in 12 personnel fomations. Turns out this move was a big part of Le'veon's big day against Buffalo as Chris effectivley completed his role; sealing the outside and creating outside rushing lanes for Bell. However, his first preseason game against the Giants did not showcase any of the success he had last year when given the oppurtunity. Often slow getting out of his stance and diagnosing plays, this is the Chris Hubbard that the fanbase's obtain's its ire and resentment from. Here is hoping Chris can pick up his play against the Falcons.


Jerald Hawkins: For those of you who have been following me, Jerald Hawkins was my personal favorite to have the "Sophomore Surge" among the Steelers 2016 Draft Class given the fact that we had already had good implications from Artie Burns, Sean Davis and Javon Hargrave. A good preseason outing last year had his entire 2016 campaign cut short due to a shoulder injury. Early reports however came from OTA's months ago suggested he was on the right track. However, the first preseason game against the New York Giants showed that Hawkins still has a lot to learn. Slow out of his stance, guessing where the Giant's stunts are and improperly using hand and leverage technique against his opposition; all of which are antipode incarnate of what we saw from his rookie outing against the Detriot Lions. I am not sure if Hawkins is still either knocking off some rust or has some lingering issue with that shoulder. What I do know is that Hawkins has to improve for the remainder of Training Camp and showcase better overall mechanics and technique against the Falcons.



Now that we are done with the offensive side of the ball, it is time to move to the defensive side. This side is my favorite among any NFL team. However, the Steelers share a very special place in my heart from this side. It is thanks to this side (and more spefiically the player as my avatar) that I am here. That is not to say this side of the pigskin within this franchise has carved some of the greatest names in NFL history as the Steelers have (and will when Troy is inducted) sent players on this side of the ball to Canton at every level. This years group will be tasked to not just apply its "Bend but don't break" philosophy but to dominate teams as they did back in the 2000's. That being said, let us meet my picks to crack the final 53.


Defensive Lineman: If the offensive lineman needs to have balance at all levels, the same has to be applied for the defensive side as well. Much like the offensive lineman, the defensive lineman has gone through some changes since the merger. From a 4-3 to a 3-4 then towards versatile usage, defensive lineman are the spearhead towards holding the point of attack against rushing oppurtunities or collapsing the pocket when the opposing offense elects to initiate an air attack. No longer are these guys just either attacking pass rushers or immovable objects. They must be both with the desire to finish a play but with a motor to match that desire. Luckily for our Black 'n' Gold, John Mitchell has ensured every Steelers defensive lineman has learned this from day one. As such, here are the guys.


Cameron Heyward: Outside of J.J. Watt, who else played nearly 90% of the teams snaps in 2015 and was well on their way of doing so the year later? If you guessed Cameron Heyward.. you are correct. Cameron Heyward may never have a shot at the Pro Bowl level but that does not mean he is not valued at all. Far from it. Being the heart and soul of the defense, along with its leader, Cameron Heyward is the teams best defensive player (Yes.., I said it. More on this in a bit). Not only is he stout against the run but also a force when rushing the passer; often forcing opposing offensive coordinators to use more resources to ensure he does not wreak havoc. Cameron Heyward's continual presence against New York forced offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan to have two offensive lineman on him at all times; Javon Hargrave, Stephon Tuitt and rookie T.J. Watt all being beneficiaries of his disruptive nature. A healthy Heyward will pay big dividends moving forward.


Stephon Tuitt: Arguably the games best interior defensive lineman under the age of 25, Stephon Tuitt's story is one of unique circumstances. Originally a top 10 pick in 2014, Stephon Tuitt had injured his knee at Notre Dame; his draft stock taking a big hit. However, Pittsburgh did feel confident enough they were going to nab a supreme talent regardless, him being the 2nd pick of the team in the 2014 NFL Draft. He had showcased flashes of being consistent in year one. Fast forward to today and Stephon Tuitt is ready to join the ranks of the NFL's elite crop of interior defensive lineman. Given the fact that he was the one who led the charge after losing Cameron Heyward for the season after the Dallas debacle, Stephon Tuitt grew up in a hurry in his second full season of playing; leading the defensive surge of the Steelers. With Cameron Heyward back and some good depth behind him, to me, this is the year Stephon Tuitt will be truly turning some heads among national American Gridiron Football Analysts. Unlike Heyward though, Tuitt has perennial All Pro potential.


Javon "GraveDigger" Hargrave: Much like Stephon Tuitt, Javon Hargrave truly showcased flashes of greatness in his rookie outing. After the "Great Dallas Debacle", the entire defense improved greatly. However, in my eyes, Javon's improvement was the most important. His improvement for me marked a turning point for the defense as opposing teams soon after the Cowboys found little to no success against the Steelers. Much of that was due to Javon's ability to hold the point of attack. As I said in introduction to defense though, defensive lineman have to be able to get to the passer as well and Javon also showcased his talents in this department during that winning streak after the Dallas Cowboys game. In addition, this was the only player to register a sack on Tom Brady; Josh McDaniels being forced to double team him at all times when the team ran its nickel package as a result. Heading into the New York game I was curious to see if his conditioning was good as he did appear to be out of shape during the pictures I saw from OTA's. Thankfully my fears were quickly put to rest as "Grave Digger" continued to dig in against the New York Giants interior line's push. Not only that, he displayed more disruption and explosivness than what we saw from year one. That being said, I am sure Alex Mack is next on his list to harass.


Tyson Alualu: Cam Thomas did not pan out; ditto Ricardo Matthews. This offseason, Mike Tomlin had found a former top 10 draft choice released by the Jacksonville Jaguars by the name of Tyson Alualu. While his work was underappreciated down by some of the Jaguars fanbase, SteelersNation have plenty reason to be excited as this may be the long awaited prayers to having both Heyward and Tuitt receive breaks and also forming solid depth. Against the Giants', Alualu displayed good penetration, disruption and rock solid abilities at holding the POA; all of which Tomlin expected of him. As such, Alualu performed very well in his debut as a Steeler. For those seeking comfort about fears of the defensive line depth being poor, Tyson Alualu will ensure to cleanse them with another strong outing against the NFC Defending Champions.


L.T. Walton: Another one of my favorite players that Mike Tomlin has drafted, L.T. for me had much better potential early on than some others may not have noticed. While he did not receive much playing time in 2015, that would change the following season in 2016 as I expected him to make the biggest leap of his class. While he did showcase that during the preseason, we did not see much of him in the regular season until Cameron Heyward went down for good. Soon thereafter, L.T. not only earned a start but also made the stat sheet against the Buffalo Bills; notching two tackles. While two tackles does not seem much in hindsight, that did not showcase L.T.'s improvement. His ability to hold the POA, leverage, hand and pursuit were all improved from when he was a rookie years ago. This season, he is now expected to fill not just a reserve defensive end but also nose tackle as well. Given his first outing doing so this preseason against the Giants, L.T. once again showcased improvement; halting New York's Ground Game for little return. He also displayed increased pass rush abilities as he was applying some good interior pressure. With him along with Alualu, SteelersNation can rest easy as they now have two solid answers waiting in the wings.


Johnny Maxey: Unlike L.T., I did not know too much about Johnny Maxey outside of hearing his name a bit in the final preseason game against Carolina. Looking back at it now, I can see where some of Tomlin's optimism came from. He was good at holding the point of attack but had his limitations as a pass rusher. For me, if he was to make the roster, he would have to increase his abiliites in that department. Well... later that season, he was promoted to the Active Roster and made his debut against the Baltimore Ravens. While I did not hear his name a bunch.. I did notice that run plays to him yielded little to no return in positive outcome. This trend contniued somewhat against Cleveland. Now seeing him in action against New York, I had noticed he has gotten better since last season. He can string some pass rush moves more efficiently, use his leverage better and possess better hand placement when engaging opposing lineman. Should he continue his ascension of progress, he will make it to the final 53, knocking off the "Shade Tree".



Linebacking Corps: Throughout NFL History, the linebacker has been the backbone of defenses. To this day, that proud tradition continues as teams construct linebacking corps capable of neutrailzing various offensive gameplans. However, since Patrick Willis, linebackers, like their defensive lineman, have undergone a transformation. No longer are there linebackers who are simply big hitting run stoppers or coverage speedsters. Linebackers have to be able to perform both tasks in addition to rushing the passer. Due to the renaissance of running backs and tight ends, defensive coordinators need to be able to deploy their linebackers to stop these revived offensive weapons from causing havoc agains their team. Teams like the Broncos, Vikings, Ravens, and Texans have great or even elite level groups. Pittsburgh's group is slated to join the ranks of the elite now that all the pieces are in order. Here they are.



Bud Dupree: The guy I wanted most for the Steelers back in 2015, Dupree's short career can be sumed up thus far as "so close yet so fsr away". 2015 was his "Senior Season" to be an outside linebacker. 2016 he was supposed to take flight and become "the guy" on the defense. While he did showcase his improvement in year two, it still left all of us wanting more, myself especially. Given the fact that I still believe Dupree will end up being the best pass rusher from his draft class, he has come so close to achieving this promise but some unfortunate circumstance seems to be always getting in his way. Considering we did not see him against New York, we should get a good glimpse of him against the Falcons should his health stay the course. However, given the fact that he still has an unknown injury, who knows if Dupree truly can reach his limitless abilities.


James Harrsion: Defying the odds based on age is one thing but defying the odds based on simply making an NFL Roster is another. Such was the case for James Harrison well over a decade ago. After being cut four times, "Deebo" considered retirement but opted not after fate intervened. A Clark Haggans injury opened the doorway towards James Harrison's Legendary Ascension into Steelers History. Now at the age of 39, James is clearly on the "Back Nine" of his career even though his statistics and play did not showcase this at age 38 a season ago; still being heralded as one of the best outside linebackers in the game. Should Pittsburgh ascend to the stairway that leads to seven, there is no reason to believe that James Harrison cannot ascend the stairway that leads to Canton.


Anthony Chickillo: Given the fact that Al Golden did not use any of his players correctly and that Chickillo's position was wrong to begin with in college. I was curious to see what Chickillo could do in 2016. While he did get off to a strong start, he quickly fell off as soon as he began, the team in a bit of a bind soon thereafter. This year I wanted to see how much he has improved. All looked well until he had a hip flexor which caused him to miss some time. Now that he is back, he needs to have a good showcasing.


Ryan Shazier: Bursting onto the scene as a Steelers Defensive Rookie is no easy task at all. Bursting onto the scene as an NFL Rookie in a Dick LeBeau scheme is doubly so. However, that is exactly what Ryan did in his debut against Buffalo back in the 2014 preseason and would continue to do so his entire rookie campaign. Even to this day, Ryan Shazier is arguably the best inside linebacker in the game. What is holding him back, as it is now, is his inability to stay healthy. Even dating back to his rookie campaign, Ryan Shazier has never showcased a full season worth of work due to his reckless abandon. While I personally praise his desire to put his body in harms way, this does not mean one has to do so recklessly to begin with. Part of Shazier's Injury History has to do with his playstyle; bad luck being the other. Given the fact that he has been a part of only 34 of 48 regular season contests; having about a 71% availability rate is quite concerning; doubly so given the fact that the critics can easily point to his rival C.J. Mosley's 95% availability rate. Even with these issues however, when he is healthy, only Luke Kuechly and Bobby Wagner are better linebackers in my eyes in terms of impact. If anything, should Ryan Shazier stay healthy for a full season and pick up Defensive Player of the Year, Ryan Shazier will revolutionize inside linebackers much how Troy Polamalu revolutionized the safety position years ago.


Vince Williams: Funny to think how Vince Williams was almost a starting linebacker after showcasing such promise in his Rookie Campaign in 2013. However, in the 2014 NFL Draft, Ryan Shazier, a top 10 player, fell to Pittsburgh. As such, Vince's dreams of starting were crushed, albeit temporarily. Waiting for his chance to become one, Vince continued to develop in the years that followed. Fast forward to today, and with Lawrence Timmons gone, Vince Williams has achieved his dream four years in the making. However, much like Ryan Shazier, injuries have kept him out of action as well. While the organization has done its part to ensure Vince has achieved his dream, Vince needs to make sure he holds the end of his bargin.


Tyler Matakevich: This guy was my Chris Borland of the 2016 NFL Draft. A Chuck Bednarik Award recipient was nice but what caught my eye was the Bronko Nagurski Award. Many recipients of said award go on to have good NFL careers, like Champ Bailey and Charles Woodson. Given the fact that said award is difficult to obtain in addition to his collegiate tape, "Dirty Red" was my favorite player of the 2016 Draft Class. While his outings were brief as an inside linebacker, his abilities on Special Teams were quickly noted after his rookie season where he led the team in tackles. A rookie leading the team in Special Teams tackles does not sound all that amazing but we need to understand the context of that side of the ball. Special teams players have to be sure tacklers in order to prevent big returns. Those who showcase good tackling ability or need to learn the principles of tackling are often inserted here. The former applied for Tyler. Fast forward towards his day against the Giants and he has showcased much improvement to me; his lateral agility no less as it was a focal point of his in the offseason. He is now able to play more efficiently in pass coverage than he did a season ago in addition to being able to stuffing the run. I would like to see how well he has improved in pass rushing against Atlanta because we did not get to see much if any of it against the Giants.


L.J. Fort: Initially claimed off of waivers in 2015, L.J.'s long road to just even stay on an NFL Roster seemed unlikely. After being picked up as an UDFA for the Cleveland Browns, Fort would go on to four more teams before settling with his sixth in the Steelers. Once again though, last season, he was cut but resigned yet again to the Active Roster. While he is currently no lock to make it to the Final 53, Steven Johnsons absence does boost his chances each day. A good showcasing against the Atlanta Falcons will have the team pondering for certain.


Arthur Moats: The main special teams demon and backup pass rusher, Arthur Moats earned the nickname "Legend Killer" for ending Brett Favre's streak of consecutive games played. Ever since being picked up by the Steelers, Moats has become a solid cotribution towards the team. His showcasing against the likes of the New York Giants did not really prove much other than what he was expected to do against lesser competition. He should be as he is technically on the outside looking in vying for a roster spot should Chickillo show out against Atlanta next week.


T.J. Watt: Every sibling of every family often faces the expectations of living up towards their fellow older siblings. For me, stepping out of the shadows of my own did not happen until Middle School. I cannot imagine how T.J. must feel though. Being the youngest brother of a three time Defensive Player of the Year and a quality NFL fullback is quite the enigma to have entering the league. One thing that T.J. does have though that not even J.J. had when he came out of Wisconsin was athleticism and talent; both of which J.J. and fellow brother Derek begrudingly admitted that T.J. possessed superior levels of both compared to their own when they came into the league. It was not however that T.J. was sassy about having such qualities though. Having been trained in the principles of NFL conditioning by both his brothers, T.J. had a leg up on most of his fellow edge rushing classmates while possessing the athletic traits to match. Given the fact that T.J. had only one year of starting experience as an outside linebacker at Wisconsin, some were worried about how raw he was and if he could provide any sort or form of spark against NFL competition. That, however, proved to be a non issue in his grand debut, notching two sacks, a pass deflection, a tackle for loss and five total tackles. Also displaying his relentless motor and instinctive abilities, T.J. made an impression that many Steelers fans can compare to what they saw of Ryan Shazier in 2014 against the Bills. While many will remember the sacks, I personally will remember his ability to display all the key traits of a great outside linebacker; defending the pass and run, rushing the passer, setting the edge, sniffing out rushing lanes, disrupting rushing lanes, diagnosing plays pre snap and post snap and possessing the desire and motor. While it is only one game, for me, T.J. Watt has shown me the principles and shown me he has the "it" factor. What "it" is will likely be unknown for a while yet. At this point in his career though, I care not. I knew he would be a good player now and a great player in the future but did not anticipate seeing the qualities of a great player flash before me in a grand debut.



Cornerbacks:


If Wide Receivers are the long range weapons offenses need to put points up on the board, cornerbacks are the "Anti Air Defense Systems" deployed to stop them. Speed and strength are just the tip of the spear on what these guys need. A high level of moxie is also required for the position. Given the fact that these players often spend their NFL careers alone, a level of confidence, be it outgoing to the point of arrogance like Richard Sherman's or calm and collective like Patrick Peterson, is needed. Not only are they needed to defend the pass but are also required to defend the run and rush the passer (Sorry Deion Sanders. No "Business Decisions" here in Steelers Country). Throughout history, the cornerbacks role has remained largely unchanged in spite of the fact of constant rule changes made by the league. In todays NFL, due to the emergence of the slot wideout, the slot corner now has just as big a focus as the primary and secondary corners on the defense. Most importantly though is that, now with offenses rapidly increasing their ability to deploy their wide receiving corps in a multi arrary of ways, defensive coordinatiors need to deploy corners groups of their own to match up and neutralize opposing offenses. Teams like Denver, Kansas City, Minnesota, Oakland, Jacksonville, Seattles, New York Giants, and New England Patriots have cornerbacking groups that can either match up well enough for the pass rush to get home or neutralize the oppositions passing attack to great effect. Such a group is what the Steelers have been looking for in quite some time and one the fanbase has been clamoring for in what appears to be seven years and continuing in spite of the teams recent attempts. Here is what the current corps of corners look like.


Artie Burns: Raw and Inexperienced one year ago, Artie had a lot of expectations. While he was a premium athlete with the moxie to match, his tape was inconsistent coming out of the University of Miami. Pittsburgh took a chance anyway given the fact that they desperately needed someone to play opposite of Ross Cockrell. While his early season struggles were on full display. It was, again, after the "Great Dallas Debacle", that Artie's play picked up. Taking on more conditioning and partaking Jiu-Jitsu as a means to improve his abiliites in man coverage was something Artie did in the offseason. However, we did not get to see what the new and improved Artie looked like against the Giants. We will get a better look of him though against the Falcons and hopefully, against Julio Jones.


Ross Cockrell: If Landry Jones is the odds on favorite of being "Pittsburgh Sports Number One Whipping Boy", then Ross Cockrell is right behind him. However, such a reason is truly unbeknownst to me. Ross has consistency graded out well among corners within the PFF metric and has played very well after receiving his chance with the Steelers back in 2015; another gem found by Mike Tomlin. He has also showcased considerable improvement over the last two years; his outing against New York being a testament to his "knocks" on him simply being a zone based corner but proving otherwise. One would think all these reasons would point to Ross being celebrated among SteelersNation but it is the exact opposite. Again though, none of those opinions matter. What does matter though, is Ross' continued improvement in man coverage. The more he improves, which will not be for much longer to showcase it anyway, the better our chances of deploying multilple coverage schemes.



William Gay: Before SteelersNation had Ross Cockrell to pick on, William Gay was the original number one. Much like Cockrell though, I never understood it myself. While he did have his worst outing against the New England Patriots months ago, he did look like his old self against the Giants. Given the fact he is the teams starting slot corner, I did not understand as to why William obtained so much ire from the fanbase before Cockrell's arrival and do not understand why the renewed ire has come back after that AFC Championship loss. Considering he has reached his ceiling as a player though and is on the wrong side of 30, I do understand where some of the resentment is coming from but do not agree given the fact that said game was a complete team failure. Blaming one player for a game like that was senseless then and pointless now.


Coty Sensabaugh: Big and athletic while being able to play any corner position are just some of the reasons why I liked this signing back during the free agency period. While he has bounced around for a while now, he has seeemed to settle in well in the Steel City. If anything, I do not recall hearing his name being called at all on Friday. Not only is he capable of playing the outside corner role but also the slot as well. Should anything happen to the big three, Coty is more than capable of taking over and holding his own.


Cameron Sutton (Rookie): Polished. Versatile. Willing. Hard Working. Not bad for a third round pick who could have been a first rounder had his knee injury not degraded his stock value. I was excited to see what Sutton would be able to do in Training Camp but he got himself injured. Since then, I have not heard of him doing much. He did some work today in individual and Special Teams drills but not much else. A shame since he does hold the keys towards the future of the slot position. While I would like to see him see the field as soon as possible as anyone else, nothing I can do but be paitent and wait. As the saying goes "paitence is a virtue".


Mike Hilton: Before most people rag me about the Brian Allen issue, please hear me out. Believe me, I want to put Brian Allen here. I do. However, with Hilton's play this preseason, I just cannot bring myself to do so barring any unforseen circumstances. I will agree with fellow member RPO IZSB that Hilton does mark the end Demarrius Heyward-Bey though as Hilton is a special teams demon. I would like to see him being more used in the slot but I would imagine that Coach Tomlin already has plans for that when the 20th rolls around.



Safety: The last line of defense, the safety position had not received too much change after players llike Ken Houston, Donnie Shell and Ronnie Lott patrolled the deep end for their teams of yesteryear. However, with the introduction of Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed, the safety position would be changed forever. Quarterbacks now not only had to focus on their attention what opposing safeties are doing in pre snap reads but attempt to predict where they would be post snap as well. This new era form of chess is something the likes offensive coordinators had never seen before. If Ed Reed was not baiting quarterbacks throwing passes anywhere on the field then Troy was terrorizing any play, any where within five to ten yards of the line of scrimmage. Since their retirements, teams have attempted to utilize both of what Troy and Ed contributed to the revolution of the position. Nowadays, players like Earl Thomas, Bob Sande- I.. mean Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Berry have kept that constant guessing, roaming level of play style and confusion alive and well. For Pittsburgh in particular, finding someone to "replace" Troy Polamalu (as there is no replacing a player of Troy's impact and legacy) proved to be quite difficult. However, they may have found something special.


Mike Mitchell: The enforcer of the defense since 2014. While his first year with Pittsburgh was quite a forgettable one, his next two were filled with some bone crushing hits. Now that he is the big "3-0", Mike Mitchell will now be looked at under a microscope by some of SteelersNation given his "decline" since last season... something I did not see personally but to each their own. Even so, I did want to see him in the first preseason game but he has been out of action with a leg and knee injury. Not too sure if he is going to come back agaisnt the Falcons but we shall see.


Sean Davis: After seeing him settle into a role last season, Sean turned out to be quite the gem among his safety peers of his draft class. Not only was he well versed in playing slot duties but also could play the primary role of safety as well. After hearing about his offseason shoulder surgery, we have yet to see any action from him. He states that his rookie season would be his worst and the best has yet to come. Judging based on how he finished down the stretch last season... I woud not bet against it.


Robert Golden: I, along with many others was eager to see what Robert Golden could do after Will Allen was shown the door in 2016. After nine weeks, one of which including Rob Gronkowski's breakaway touchdown, that was the last of Golden starting for the Black and Gol. Now, he is depth again facing little competition after Damion Stafford announced his retirement from the league.


Jacob Hagen: Unless Malik Golden can showcase some serious Mike Hilton improvement, Hagen makes the final 53 for me.



Special Teams: The third element of football, Special Teams are slowly being undone in the league due towarda fan preception of seeing them as useless or insignificant. However, ask fellow HOF kicker Morten Anderson and see if such an answer is similar. Speical Teams have often decided the biggest games or often can create instant momentum changes in a game. They also serve as teaching tools for younger players who are just getting acclimated into the NFL. Given the fact that modern players like Devin Hester have proven that kick and punt returns are just as vital as third down or redzone conversions, Special Teams still remains as important to the game as it did long ago. For Pittsburgh though, Special Teams has been the teams biggest weakness in terms of kick and punt returns. The kicker, punter and snapper (hopefully) remain steady.


Chris Boswell: Arguably Tomlin's best gem discovery albeit occurred due to necessity. Given the fact that Josh Scobee could not get the job done, once again Coach Tomlin had to work some magic to find a reliable place kicker after the career ending injury of Shaun Suisham. An umdrafted kicker from Rice who had failed to quality for two other teams, Chris made the most of his oppurtunities in his rookie season and has become "Mr. Consistent", pulling the team out of tight playoff spots against the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs. I really did not need any more justification on his performance in the preseason, hence why I am not elaborating on anything here. Given his abilities to single handly win playoff games and perform in clutch moments, Chris may just be Tomlins greatest UDFA gem of his tenure depending on criteria.



Jordan Berry: The second attempt for Tomlin at the "Aussie Punting Sweepstakes", Jordan definitley had the leg but clearly was jittered against the Denver Broncos as his inability to pin Peyton Manning deep in his own 20 proved to being one of the many reasons why Pittsburgh lost that Divisional Round. Fast forward to today and he is a much better punter. Hang times and ball placement has improved as well. Like Chris, barring injury, nothing else need be said.


Colin Holba (Rookie): Did not hear his name called on Friday. For me, that is excellent. While I did personally see a few of his snaps were a bit off; namely in the placekicking instances, nothing else needed to be worried about here. More than likely a case of the jitters and nothing more.

 

Good write up, thanks.

I'll only make one comment off the bat: I know you've been pushing for Hawkins to improve, but Labriola noted on Asked and Answered the other day that he wasn't having a good camp. It was said in quite an ominous way... So the signs are that sophomore surge isn't happening, and he's running out of time to make it.

 

Thanks all for the comments so far!


Have not gotten to the Practice Squad yet. Was too tired.


End of write up stat to know!


Time to complete was 8 hours, 12 minutes and 15 seconds: 9:00 P.M. to 5:12 A.M. specifically.

 

hagan did some good things fri. night. his will be a wait and see as will allen. hilton should by all rights make this team.

 

I think we bring another safety in after cut day.

Hopefully Hilton continues and doesn't end up with a Derek Moye award.

 

Tons of good info./thoughts here. Agree with the bulk of it. I do feel the need to mention Jesse James will never be natural pass catcher. He's not the worst, we could "get by" wit him and the 2 others, but TE is certainly not a strength. You can expect Jesse to drop some very catchable balls each season - more than Heath it seems.

 

Hard to find stats on the kid or atleast I don't know the correct sites to search. He caught 39 passes last year... Said he had 65% catch rate. Don't know how accurate that is, but I do know we've seen a lot of hi/low passes his way last season in general. I. Sure some of those were picked or batted as well just how it is. I do know that the kid shows up and has been pretty clutch at times. I'm more than fine with him and believe he's only going to get better. I expect more out of X man and if given the shots think we'll see some more this year.

Nice write up AQL! We appreciate the man hrs involved

 

Was Dupree missing from the list of LBs or did I overlook him?

And I like keeping Watson as the 3rd RB.

 

!!! Good catch.


Adding him now.

 

Dupree is up.


Wanting to see him so bad against Atlanta. Truly hope he can ascend into the NFL's elite tier of linebackers.

 

Just a couple of comments:

RB - While I like Watson and think he has potential, I think he is destined for the PS. You keep the vet and put Watson on the PS to develop this year. There is no advantage to him being on the roster. He gets zero carries one way or another.

WR - I do think we keep 6 guys. Injuries from last year will prompt us to do that. I think the final 2 spots come down to Hunter, DHB, and Coates. 2 of those guys make it....1 doesn't. Sadly, guys like Ayers and Hamilton will be PS candidates or gone.

LB - Don't count out Steven Johnson making the roster. Maybe not at initial cuts, but I bet he will be there. Adams injury may benefit us making it easier to get him to the PS since no one will see him play.

S - Dangerfield would be brought back prior to Hagen IMO, but if we keep 5 I think Hagen has the inside track right now.

Lastly, The formatting makes this a very hard post to read. A lot of work went into it and I appreciate the work, but it is hard to read.

 

A few thoughts on the roster. First, poaching from the practice squad rarely happens. A guy signed from the practice squad has to be put on the poaching team's 53-man. Don't see anyone that is destined for the practice squad as being poach-worthy. Second, Hunter may be someone who has 7th round pick trade value, and the Steelers would probably make that deal. Third, agree with Watson going to the practice squad and Davis and Conner making the roster. Davis or Conner would be snapped up by another team if cut, Watson not so much. Safeties will be Mitchell, Davis, Golden and Dangerfield. Known quantities get the edge.

If roster cuts were made today, Jerald Hawkins would be cut. I think he has to work his way back into contention, otherwise Matt Feiler gets the roster spot. Hawkins is practice squad eligible, so that may factor into the decision to keep him or cut him. Johnny Maxey is also eligible for the practice squad, and he may make the final 53, only to get cut soon afterwards to make room for a veteran cast off from another team. I would not be surprised to see four players signed after roster cuts are made -- cornerback, offensive line, inside linebacker, defensive line and /or tight end. Grimble drops too may passes to make him a roster lock. Since he can be placed on the practice squad as well, that may factor into the keep or cut decision. I might add safety to that list as well.

 

grimble stays.

 

Especially in the event that a veteran tight end becomes available when roster cuts are made.

 

Might be a record for longest post.

I'm liking keeping Watson on the 53 but fear Tomlins Love for Vets puts him on the PS.

I like Hagen but Dangerfield will be a tough cut at this point.

Cajun

 

One factor to consider in the backup running back battle is kickoff return duties. Knile Davis has experience in returning kickoffs, but with the vast majority of kicks resulting in touchbacks, keeping a guy based on kick return abilities might not be wise. Would Davis fetch a late round pick from a team that needs a running back?

 

Don't believe they would keep McGee over Grimble. Big difference between signing a veteran cast-off and a relatively high profile tight end.

 

I tried. Initially I was going to have each player within a numerical format. I will do better come next Tuesday.

 

Agree with this besides the WR. Think we will keep 6. I really like Eli Rogers and I think our staff likes DHB due to his presence on special teams. So, if we would add both of them to your list that would make 7... and I think Coates would be the odd man out.

 

I don't disagree, but putting Johnson ahead of Grimble on the depth chart tells me they would upgrade if a better guy becomes available. that being said, I think we are going to see a lot of 4 wide, 1 back formations this year, diminishing the TE role significantly.