The last time that we took a look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster in review, it was weeks before the 2020 NFL Draft took place. It would be safe to say that quite a bit has changed since then, and the changes apply to almost every position on the roster, some major changes, some minor.
We are closing in on the opening of the Steelers’ several weeks of training camp, this time not at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, so it would be a good time to pause and take stock of where the team stands at each position as we head into the most critical process of the offseason.
Position: Specialist
Total Positional Figure: 5
Additions: 1
Deletions: 0
Players Retained:
Chris Boswell: A Pro Bowler in 2017. One of the worst kickers in the game in 2018. And then posting a career-high in field goal accuracy in 2019. He made 29 of 31 field goals last season, with both misses from 40-plus (one from beyond 50), and he made all of his extra point attempts. Nobody missed fewer total kicks than his two last year.
Jordan Berry: Berry is interesting, because even if he is putting up some of the best stats in team history as a punter, they are marginal with respect to what the position has evolved into in today’s game as it has continued to be specialized. His performance is such that you wouldn’t necessarily aggressively look to replace him, but you will keep your eyes open for potential challengers.
Kameron Canaday: Now in his fourth season, Canaday has stabilized into his role as the long snapper. He’s not as consistent as snap to snap as Greg Warren was, but he has proven to be generally reliable. And he didn’t get a bunch of holding penalties again like in 2018.
Christian Kuntz: A local product back for his second Summer, Kuntz is listed as a long snapper and linebacker. The Steelers did not give him much work snapping the ball last time around, however, and Canaday doesn’t seem to necessarily be in need of a challenger.
Players Added:
Corliss Waitman: Waitman was seeking a sixth year of eligibility that he was not granted in 2019, so he did not play. Already 24 years old as a rookie, he has some positive traits, but is also lacking in meaningful areas such as directional kicking, and one of Berry’s weaknesses, getting distance from the shadow of the end zone.
Players Lost: N/A
Notes and Camp Outlook:
Ah yes, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Special teams. Frankly, don’t expect any excitement this year. Chris Boswell has no competition. Jordan Berry’s challenge against Corliss Waitman is limited, and much more vulnerable due to the shortened offseason. And as for Christian Kuntz, let’s see if he even snaps the ball much, because last year when he was here, he was mostly working at linebacker.
