With the start of training camp set to get underway at that end of this week, we’ll continue on with our annual polls asking you to vote on whether or not certain Pittsburgh Steelers players who are perceived as being on the bubble will ultimately make the final 53 man roster out of training camp.
We’ve already had you vote on seven players and you can find links to those polls along with the results of each below. Today, we will discuss safety Ross Ventrone and have you vote on his future.
2014 Season Recap:
Ventrone’s 2014 season started with him being a member of the Steelers 10-man practice squad after he failed to make the 53-man roster out of training camp. After safety Shamarko Thomas injured a hamstring in the Week 5 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ventrone found himself on the team’s 53-man roster and that’s where he remained the rest of the season.
Even though he would ultimately miss two games with a hamstring injury of his own, Ventrone adequately contributed on special teams for the Steelers in the nine games that he dressed for. The Villanova product ended the 2014 season with 7 total special teams tackles which was good for fourth-best on team. He didn’t, however, log any defensive snaps last season and that’s not overly surprising.
2015 Outlook:
Ventrone will likely never see time in a meaningful NFL game on defense moving forward. However, he has shown that he can be counted on as regular special teams player and he’ll need to show that again this year during training camp and the preseason if he hopes to pick up where he left off last year.
The Steelers will undoubtedly carry at least four safeties in total on their 2015 roster and barring any injuries, Ventrone will not be one of those four. The team, however, might carry five safeties in total and if that ultimately winds up being the case, that fifth spot is certainly up for grabs right now with training camp about to get underway.
Ventrone’s biggest competition heading into training camp this year will likely come from rookie draft pick Gerod Holliman. However, for all practical purposes, all of the young defensive backs currently on the 90-man roster should be considered competition for Ventrone as special team abilities are sure to factor into the final decisions.
Vote below and tell us the reason why you voted the way that you did in the comments.
Previous Polls:
Chris Hubbard
Terence Garvin
B.W. Webb
Darrius Heyward-Bey
Clifton Geathers
Jordan Zumwalt
Robert Golden
