The first Steelers preseason game is in the books and now it is time to post my 2nd version of the 2011 Steelers Final 53 Man Roster Prediction. If you missed the pre training camp 53 man roster projection edition, you can read it here. There will be 3 more of these as we slowly work our way down to the final prediction following the last preseason game against the Panthers.
Quite a bit has changed since my last prediction. Free agent tight end John Gilmore was signed since my last prediction as was wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. Rookie running back Baron Batch tore his ACL and will likely be lost for the season as well. As far as my changes go from last prediction, I know see Gilmore holding a tight end spot and that means undrafted free agent Weslye Saunders is off my 53 for now. He is likely best suited for the practice squad at this point. The Cotchery signing means someone has to go between Arnaz Battle and Tyler Grisham to make room. Battle had a rough night against the Redskins as he had 3 drops. I still think he adds enough on special teams right now that, so I am scratching Grisham. Battle played under special teams coach Al Everest at San Francisco, so I think he has him in his corner right now.
I had undrafted linebacker Mario Harvey on my first projected 53 man roster, but he has missed considerable time during camp with an injury and was forced to miss the Friday night game in addition. You can\’t make the club in the tub so I am putting Keenan Lewis back on the roster. It makes sense that both Lewis and Crezdon Butler should make the 53 man roster with rookies Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen way behind at this point. Not only did they miss out on OTA and mini-camp sessions due to the lockout, they both have missed extended camp time as well as the first preseason game. Lewis also can play special teams and that was the only thing Harvey was going to provide this year.
With Batch going down it gives second year running back Jonathan Dwyer a temporary reprieve. He showed small signs of turning the corner as far as recognition and blitz pickup against the Redskins, so he is back on for now as the 4th running back. Those are my only changes in this 53 man project prediction.
Now that we had a preseason game to look at, I will also start projecting the practice squad and who I think might be inactive week 1 from here on out in addition.
2011 Steelers Final 53 Man Roster Prediction 2.0 Version
| 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 |
| 27 | Dwyer, Jonathan | RB |
| 17 | Wallace, Mike | WR |
| 86 | Ward, Hines | WR |
| 88 | Sanders, Emmanuel | WR |
| 84 | Brown, Antonio | WR |
| 81 | Battle, Arnaz | WR |
| 82 | Cotchery, Jerricho | WR |
| 83 | Miller, Heath | TE |
| 85 | Johnson, David | TE |
| 89 | Gilmore, John | 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 |
| 23 | Lewis, Keenan | 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 |
| 54 | Carter, Chris | OLB |
| Specialist | ||
| 6 | Suisham, Shaun | K |
| 9 | Sepulveda, Daniel | P |
| 60 | Warren, Greg | LS |
| Practice Squad | ||
| 48 | Mortty Ivy | LB |
| 67 | Anthony Gray | NT |
| 42 | Da\’Mon Cromartie-Smith | SS |
| 44 | Weslye Saunders | TE |
| 72 | John Malecki | C/G |
| 71 | Corbin Bryant | DE |
| 15 | Wes Lyons | WR |
| 67 | Kyle Jolly | T |
| Week 1 Inactives | ||
| 40 | Curtis Brown | CB |
| 39 | Cortez Allen | CB |
| 27 | Jonathan Dwyer | RB |
| 62 | Keith Williams | G |
| 54 | Chris Carter | OLB |
| 28 | Crezdon Butler | CB |
| 65 | Marcus Gilbert | T |
| Injured Reserve | ||
| 33 | Baron Batch | RB |
