I was planning to wait until after the first preseason game to post my first 53 man roster, but I have already had several requests to do it now. As many know I was able to nail the 53 man roster last offseason after the final preseason game. Here is the way this works. I will update my prediction from here on out after every preseason game leading up to the final roster cuts. There will be 5 of these in all with this being the first. I will notate in each update why I added or removed a player so you can follow my train of thought. There is no way this first one will be right, but here we go.
Quite a few of these are no brainers as they are no-brainers. I believe there to be about 12-13 spots open on the roster to be had baring an injury. That could change in a hurry though.
Yes I know I have Chris Hoke and Greg Warren on my list and they are not currently under contract, but I can see them being signed back any time now. These could change if not signed by next prediction.
The first tough call is the 5th and 6th wide receiver spots. I am guessing they carry 6 and I currently have Arnaz Battle and Tyler Grisham in those spots for now as they are the most experienced in my opinion and Battle plays on special teams.
They next tough call is Baron Batch. I admit I have a soft spot for him, but I truly feel it is his spot to lose right now on the 53.
The next tough call is the 3rd tight end spot and Wesyle Saunders gets it by default right now as he fits the mold. Should a veteran be signed, this might change.
The last tough call is Keith Williams. I really think it is his spot to lose after the first few days of camp as a reserve guard.
On defense, Crezdon Butler and Will Allen are iffy. Allen could still be a salary cap dump, but for now he stays. Butler beats out Keenan Lewis right now for the time being. I have the Steelers keeping 6 cornerbacks.
Chris Carter and Mario Harvey are the next tough ones, but I think both can provide special teams help and fight weekly over who gets the helmet.
Remember this exercise is to mimic what 53 board the coaches have and I get four more shots at it. This 53 is bound to be off, but it will serve as my starting point.
2011 Steelers Final 53 Man Roster Prediction – Training Camp Edition
| Offense | ||
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Roethlisberger, Ben | QB |
| 4 | Leftwich, Byron | QB |
| 16 | Batch, Charlie | QB |
| 34 | Mendenhall, Rashard | RB |
| 20 | Moore, Mewelde | RB |
| 33 | Redman, Isaac | RB |
| 35 | Batch, Baron | RB |
| 17 | Wallace, Mike | WR |
| 86 | Ward, Hines | WR |
| 88 | Sanders, Emmanuel | WR |
| 84 | Brown, Antonio | WR |
| 81 | Battle, Arnaz | WR |
| 19 | Grisham, Tyler | WR |
| 83 | Miller, Heath | TE |
| 85 | Johnson, David | TE |
| 44 | Saunders, Wesyle | TE |
| 64 | Legursky, Doug | G/C |
| 53 | Pouncey, Maurkice | C |
| 68 | Kemoeatu, Chris | G |
| 73 | Foster, Ramon | G |
| 62 | Williams, Keith | G |
| 65 | Gilbert, Marcus | T |
| 72 | Scott, Jonathan | T |
| 74 | Colon, Willie | T |
| 61 | Scott, Chris | T |
| Defense | ||
| 24 | Taylor, Ike | CB |
| 20 | McFadden, Bryant | CB |
| 22 | Gay, William | CB |
| 28 | Butler, Crezdon | CB |
| 39 | Allen, Cortez | CB |
| 40 | Brown, Curtis | CB |
| 43 | Polamalu, Troy | SS |
| 25 | Clark, Ryan | FS |
| 29 | Mundy, Ryan | FS |
| 26 | Allen, Will | S |
| 91 | Smith, Aaron | DE |
| 95 | Heyward, Cameron | DE |
| 96 | Hood, Ziggy | DE |
| 99 | Keisel, Brett | DE |
| 98 | Hampton, Casey | NT |
| 76 | Chris Hoke | NT |
| 92 | Harrison, James | OLB |
| 94 | Timmons, Lawrence | ILB |
| 51 | Farrior, James | ILB |
| 56 | Woodley, LaMarr | OLB |
| 97 | Worilds, Jason | OLB |
| 55 | Sylvester, Stevenson | ILB |
| 50 | Foote, Larry | ILB |
| 44 | Harvey, Mario | ILB |
| 54 | Carter, Chris | OLB |
| Specialist | ||
| 6 | Suisham, Shaun | K |
| 9 | Sepulveda, Daniel | P |
| 60 | Warren, Greg | LS |
