Roster Thoughts....

I know it is early and I haven't worried about getting to 53, but here are the initial guys who IMO have a shot to make the roster.

QB: Ben, Grad, Jones (3)

RB: Bell, Blount, Archer, W. Johnson (4)

TE: Heath, Spaeth, Blanchflower (3)

WR: A. Brown, J. Brown, Bryant, Heyward-Bey, Moore, Moye, Wheaton (7) - There are 7 guys here and IMO I don't see us keeping more than 5.

Oline: Whimper, Gilbert, Adams, W. Johnson, Wallace, Decastro, Beachum, Foster, Embernate, Pouncey (10) - Do they keep 10?

Dline: Arnfelt, Heyward, Tuitt, Williams, Fangupo, McCullers, McClendon, Thomas (8) - One of these young kids can go to the PS, maybe 2.

LB: Moats, Worilds, Zumwalt, Wilson, Williams, Timmons, Spence, Shazier, Jones, Garvin, Carter (11)

CB: Ike, Gay, C. Allen, Blake, Green, Richardson (6)

S: Troy, Mitchell, Shamarko, W. Allen, Golden (5)

This total list is 57 guys, so when you add in the 3 specials, we need to reduce this by 7 guys. My guess is we lose the following:

2 WR
1 OLine
1 Dline
2 LB
1 S or CB

 

Does Carter keep a place at the expense of Zumwalt? Suppose it depends where they're lining them up in camp.

The J.Brown/Moye/Bryant battle is going to be an interesting one to watch. It's a shame Moye didn't get more chances last season to see what he's got - we know he can produce in preseason, but I think he might be the odd man out come September. Which is a shame, as I'd like to see him do well.

 

The goal in the list was mostly to show guys I thought who really had a shot at making the roster. Are there others, when just looking at our current roster, which I am missing? Guys that I have included that really have NO SHOT.

 

not sure but its a good problem to have. we have created a lot of competition and depth at many positions. oline is probably the strongest unit now. backers look scary as well

 

Made a couple of additions:

QB: Ben, Grad, Jones (3)

RB: Bell, Blount, Archer, W. Johnson, Stevens-Howling (5)

TE: Heath, Spaeth, Blanchflower, Palmer (4)

WR: A. Brown, J. Brown, Bryant, Heyward-Bey, Moore, Moye, Wheaton (7) - There are 7 guys here and IMO I don't see us keeping more than 5.

Oline: Whimper, Gilbert, Adams, W. Johnson, Wallace, Decastro, Beachum, Foster, Embernate, Pouncey, Velasco (11) - Do they keep 9 or 10?

OFFENSE: Currently 30 Players

Dline: Arnfelt, Heyward, Tuitt, Williams, Fangupo, McCullers, McClendon, Thomas (8) - One of these young kids can go to the PS, maybe 2.

LB: Moats, Worilds, Zumwalt, Wilson, Williams, Timmons, Spence, Shazier, Jones, Garvin, Carter (11)

CB: Ike, Gay, C. Allen, Blake, Green, Richardson, McCain (7)

S: Troy, Mitchell, Shamarko, W. Allen, Golden (5)

DEFENSE: Currently 31 Players

 

Ben,Grad, Jones
Bell,Blount,Johnson, Archer
Brown,Wheaton,Moore,Bryant,Moye,Brown
Miller,Spaeth,Branchflower
Adams,Foster,Pouncey,Decastro,Gilbert,Beachum,Wallace,Johnson,Embernate

McClendon,McCullers,Thomas,Hayward,Tuitt,Arnfelt
Worilds,Jones,Moats,Carter
Timmons,Shazier,Spence,Williams,Zumwalt
Taylor,Gay,Blake,Richardson,Allen
Troy,Thomas,Mitchell,Allen,Golden

 

3 - QB Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones
No surprises here

4 - RB Leveon Bell, LeGarrette Blount, Dri Archer, Will Johnson
I am only keeping 3 back and a FB unless the injury bug hits…I think we got two starters in Bell and Blount….One of them should be on the field 95% of the time. Archer will play a little SLASH duty and I’ll keep a RB on the PS in case of emergency.

3 – TE Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Micheal Palmer
Palmer does the HB/backup duty….and allows Spaeth to do a little pass catching

5 – WR Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, DHB, Lance Moore, Martavis Bryant
You can also add some Archer in here….I think DHB makes is for his ST role and last WR spot…..I want to see a few 5 wide…with Brown, Wheaton, DHB, Bryant and Archer….thats more speed than most D’s ever want to see on the field at the same time.

10 – OL Mike Adams, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Marcus Gilbert, Kelvin Beachum, Cody Wallace, Nik Embernate, Guy Whimper, Wesley Johnson
I’ll go with 10

6 – DL Cameron Heyward, Steve McClendon, Stephen Tuitt, Brian Arnfelt, Daniel McCullers, Cam Thomas
I think most Sundays leave Arnfelt without a hat..but the flexibility of McClendon, Thomas…allow McCullers to play some NT while they kick outside to keep everyone fresh.

9 – LB Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier, Lawrence Timmons, Jason Worilds, James Harrison, Sean Spence, Vince Williams, Arthur Moats, Vic So’oto
Zumalt to the PS while Harrison comes in as the pass rushing specialist….and I am giving Spence the nod just because I want to see this young man fight his way back

5 – CB Ike Taylor, Cortez Allen, William Gay, Shaquille Richardson, Brice McCain
I am going with only 5 corners as I am keeping some ST guys in other spots

5 – S Troy Polamalu, Mike Mitchell, Shamarko Thomas, Will Allen, Robert Golden
Golden versatility keeps him around one more year

3 – Specialist Adam Podlesh, Shaun Suisham, Greg Warren
Status Quo

HACK

 

I really hope Blanchflower exceeds expectations and plays Palmer to a draw. If that happens, he will be the one staying.

I would be okay with this 10, but would really like to see Velasco also signed back to battle for a spot.

McCullers to me is more raw than even Williams. He is going to have to be taught how to use his size. It would not surprise me if we go with only 5 on the roster with Williams and McCullers to the PS, but this unit has a LOT of youth on it. Arnfelt, Williams, McCullers and Tuitt. Not a lot of experience, but it is time for the D Line coach to earn some money developing these guys. Hood failed. Heyward success. McClendon TBD. 4 new young guys to work with....success is paramount.

I don't see Harrison coming back. I just don't. I also don't see Zumalt taking a seat on the PS rather than So'oto.

 

I think Nick Williams DE gets a shot, Harrison don't think it will happen and keep 6 receivers.

 

howard jones could go in

 

I think we are overlooking a couple of players. I know some were signed as a FA, but don't overlook:
Josh Mauro, DE, Stanford. He has a real shot at making this team.
We might even be surprised on that OL as well, we might keep one of the rookiw FAs instead of Whimper. I think we will see 2 or 3 surprises this year. That was a great draft and our FA signings weren't bad either. I was hoping that they would sign "Tiny" Richardson (LT) from UT, he would have made this team as well.

Mike

 

That's the way i see it too.....or maybe that's just the way I hope it is.

 

Heyward-Bey will not be on the final roster. I also have a tough time seeing them going 10 deep on the offensive line. Someone is going to go from there.

 

What? No Plexico ? lol .. Some on this forum believe Plexico would make the 2014 roster

Wow.. Just wow

Bman

 

I think that when you get down to the last 2-3 roster spots, there's not a huge difference between a Heyward-Bey and a Burress. DHB may be able to play some special teams, but he's never going to be any kind of receiving threat in the vertical passing game.

 

If I was making a guess right now about the roster with all the cuts made it would be this:

QB: Ben, Grad, Jones (3)

RB: Bell, Blount, Archer, W. Johnson (4)

TE: Heath, Spaeth, Blanchflower, Palmer (4)

WR: A. Brown, Bryant, Heyward-Bey, Moore, Wheaton (5)

Oline: Whimper, Gilbert, Adams, W. Johnson, Wallace, Decastro, Beachum, Foster, Embernate, Pouncey (9) (Johnson PS)

OFFENSE: 25

Dline: Arnfelt, Heyward, Tuitt, Williams, McClendon, Thomas (6) (McCullers PS)

LB: Moats, Worilds, Zumwalt, Williams, Timmons, Spence, Shazier, Jones, Garvin (9)

CB: Ike, Gay, C. Allen, Blake, Green, Richardson (6)

S: Troy, Mitchell, Shamarko, W. Allen (4)

DEFENSE: 25

 

They are similar however DHB as you say brings some special team skills. Plus IMHO he does not mind the middle so much as PB. PB had a tendency to shy away when hearing footsteps lol

Bman

 

I'm not Mike Tomlin, so I don't know what he'd value more. A marginal threat in the Red Zone (Burress) or marginal contributions on special teams (DHB). Neither is a starter, even in the 4 wide sets.

 

I got news for some of you...Burress was a lock for this team last year before his injury....it was pretty much spelled out in "print" last year....but lets just forget that for a moment.

Last year the big argument was Plax doesn't play special teams...so no way do you keep a #5 or #6 WR that doesn't play special teams...

Now this year with DHB......DHB is just special teams...he brings nothing to the passing game...no way do you keep a #5 or #6 WR that can't catch.

Not only do I think DHB makes the roster...I think he actually plays a lot...and helps this team a lot...he costs nothing...he plays ST...he still has the speed to take the top off a defense and he might not have the best hands in the game...but I would take a DHB and his salary or Wallace and his any day of the week.

But don't just tell people they are wrong..post your roster....let them poke at you as much as some of you like to poke at them....these are all just thoughts, guesses and opinions.....its ok for everyone to have them

HACK