Steelers 2013 53 Man Roster Prediction – Post Preseason Game 2 Edition

The Pittsburgh Steelers have now played two preseason games, so it is now time for my fifth 53 man roster prediction for the 2013 season.

If you missed my first four 53 man roster predictions following the draft, OTA practices, pre training camp and first preseason game, you can view them by following the links provided.

As I do every year, I will have a new prediction after each and every preseason game leading up to my final 53 man roster prediction which will be released right before the final round of cuts take place.

Feel free to list your prediction below in the comments below.

Offense: (26)

Quarterbacks: (3) Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones

• Nothing to see here, so move along now. Jones will be on the inactive list quite a bit.

Running Backs: (5) Le\’Veon Bell, Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer LaRod Stephens-Howling, Baron Batch

• The Bell injury now means both Dwyer and Batch make the roster. Being as Stephens-Howling will likely be the kick returner, Batch can play special teams so both Dwyer and Redman do not have to. Do you really want to carry only three healthy running backs?

Fullbacks: (1) Will Johnson

• I told in my last prediction they should have put him in bubble wrap.

Wide Receivers: (5) Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Jerricho Cotchery, Markus Wheaton, Justin Brown

• There might be some room to play with here if they think they can get Brown to the practice squad, but when you think about it, they need seven inactives and so why not carry Brown and make him one of them?

Tight Ends: (5) Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, David Paulson, David Johnson, Jamie McCoy

• I still do not really have a firm grip on what they will do with both Miller and Spaeth. If Miller goes on Reserve PUP he must miss six weeks. If Spaeth goes on injured reserve he must miss eight weks. Spaeth will be four weeks removed from his surgery come week one, so if they think he can get back after the bye week, they just might decide to carry him on the roster. As far as Johnson and McCoy go, I still think there is a chance Michael Palmer can beat out one of the two. We will have to see how Johnson plays Saturday night.

Offensive Line: (7) Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Ramon Foster, Mike Adams, Marcus Gilbert, Kelvin Beachum, John Malecki

• So you want to keep eight offensive linemen? Ok, who is your eighth? Is he on the roster yet? Why guarantee the salary of Guy Whimper by keeping him? Besides, Mike Tomlin only dresses seven for a game. If they keep both Miller and Spaeth, then one of the other three healthy tight ends would have to be an emergency tackle until they get to a point where they accommodate and eighth. Risky? Hell yes it is. Really, who is the eighth?

Defense: (24)

Nose Tackles: (2) Steve McLendon, Alameda Ta\’amu

• I can\’t see them giving up Ta\’amu so soon. He will be inactive for a while so Woods will be the backup to McLendon.

Defensive Ends: (4) Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward, Al Woods

• I Believe this is as cut and dry as it gets. They should be able to get Williams and Arnfelt to the practice squad.

Linebackers: (9) Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, LaMarr Woodley, Jason Worilds, Jarvis Jones, Stevenson Sylvester, Marshall McFadden, Vince Williams, Adrian Robinson

• Chris Carter has shown nothing during the preseason so they might as well keep Robinson and make him or Williams one of the seven inactives.

Cornerbacks: (5) Ike Taylor, Cortez Allen, William Gay, Curtis Brown, Josh Victorian

• Victorian has been seeing a lot of preseason playing time. I think Hawthorne can go to the practice squad and DeMarcus Van Dyke to injured reserve. Van Dyke can be retained next offseason as a restricted free agent. I really do not know how bad his hamstring injury is, however.

Safeties: (4) Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Robert Golden, Shamarko Thomas

• As much as I would like to keep Cromartie-Smith, there is just no room for him unless something is done with either Miller or Spaeth to clear a spot for him.

Special Teams: (3)

Kicker: (1) Shaun Suisham

• This is an easy call.

Punter: (1) Drew Butler

• Brian Moorman is pushing, but I still have Butler as the leader.

Long Snapper: (1) Greg Warren

• Easy call with just one.

Practice Squad: (8) Nick Williams, Terry Hawthorne, Joe Long, Chris Hubbard, Alan Baxter, Alvester Alexander, Derek Moye, Brian Arnfelt

• Williams is a project. Long and Hubbard make sense with Cheadle sidelined and likely headed to injured reserve. Moye stepped up and showed great hands. Baxter showed enough to work with. Alexander is here because they need an extra practice running back and Arnfelt really showed potential.

PUP: (1) Sean Spence

• They have a lot of time with the rules of the PUP to see if Spence can make it back this year.

Injured Reserve: (4) Plaxico Burress, Nik Embernate, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Justin Cheadle

• Not knowing the seriousness of the hamstring injuries suffered by Van Dyke and Cheadle makes this a tough call and really a shot in the dark.

Week 1 Inactives: (7) Justin Brown, Landry Jones, Adrian Robinson, Alameda Ta\’amu, Le\’Veon Bell, Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth

• Not knowing the seriousness of the hamstring injuries suffered by Van Dyke and Cheadle makes this a tough call and really a shot in the dark.