It is hard to read very much into the latest offensive depth chart on the official website of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but we will dissect it nonetheless.
For starters, Mike Adams is listed as the top right tackle as well as the backup at left tackle behind an empty spot. Head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the tackle spot during his pre draft press conference and would not commit to who between Adams and Marcus Gilbert will play on what side. All Tomlin would give us is the fact that both players are left tackle capable and that they have the spring and the summer to figure out who will start where. I do find it funny, however, that Gilbert is not listed at all. Was this just an error or was it done so people will not read too much into it the way that I am attempting to do in this post?
Second-year offensive lineman Kelvin Beach gets the distinction of being the backup right tackle behind Adams as well as the backup left guard behind starter Ramon Foster. Surprising? No, not the least, but keep in mind that Beachum has yet to play a regular season snap at any other position besides right tackle. He did, however, play both left tackle and left guard last year during the preseason and he looked very bad at both spots against inferior competition.
John Malecki, who ended last season on the Steelers 53 man roster after spending most of the season on the practice squad, is only listed as the third string left guard behind Foster and the backup right guard behind David DeCastro. I did find it curious that he is not currently listed as the backup center behind starter Maurkice Pouncey right now. I have written extensively about the lack of interior depth that the Steelers have on their offensive line and this depth chart, albeit far from official, best illustrates that.
The backup tight end spot behind Heath Miller is currently vacant and Matt Spaeth has yet to be added.
As far the running back position goes, Jonathan Dwyer sits at the top with Baron Batch listed way behind him. Both Isaac Redman, who recently signed his restricted tender, and LaRod Stephens-Howling, who was just signed to the roster over the weekend, are not yet listed in the gaps.
Here is something for my conspiracy theory readers to chew on. Redman has signed his tender but has yet to be added to the roster on the roster page of the website. Stephens-Howling, however, has already been added to that same roster page.
As far as the wide receiver position goes, there are zero surprises there.
Will Johnson is currently listed as the Steelers top fullback, as he should be, and David Johnson is nowhere to found.
