We’ve just completed the second week of OTAs, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still sit without a full 90-man roster.
All NFL teams are permitted to have a 90-man roster during the offseason and into training camp, trimming down to 53 players on the active roster right before the start of the regular season. Pittsburgh currently has 89 players on the roster and has had an open roster spot for some time now. Given the fact that the team is getting valuable time together during OTAs, it makes one wonder what the holdup is regarding which direction the Steelers may take with their final roster spot.
While this team can opt to sign another long snapper to compete with Christian Kuntz or another UDFA/tryout player, GM Omar Khan has continued to go out and add notable names to the roster since free agency got underway. He just recently signed EDGE Markus Golden to solidify Pittsburgh’s OLB room and could be looking to make a similar move and add a proven veteran to the roster for depth purposes.
So, what positions could the Pittsburgh Steelers target with their final roster spot? Well, looking at their roster as it currently stands, they still could use some more depth at running back, slot cornerback, and inside linebacker.
Pittsburgh is sitting pretty with its first two running backs on the depth chart, boasting workhorse Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, who is a great complementary back. However, for a team that wants to ground and pound and establish the run, adding a proven veteran with special teams experience may be wise in case Harris or Warren go down with injury. Free agents like Justin Jackson, Dontrell Hilliard, and Darrel Williams all present options that would be upgrades over Anthony McFarland Jr. in the backfield while providing a pass-catching skill set to complement Pittsburgh’s current running backs.
The Steelers released CB Arthur Maulet earlier this offseason, giving them just Chandon Sullivan and Duke Dawson as the likely names to factor in at the nickel. While Sullivan is experienced and Pittsburgh could use one of its safeties at the spot, adding another proven, reliable vet to the room wouldn’t be a bad use of a roster spot to at least push Sullivan and Dawson in training camp. Older veterans like Casey Heyward and Bryce Callahan are battle-tested nickel defenders who could man the position for 2023 along with former Seattle Seahawks CB Justin Coleman, who has played at a high level in the slot for the Seahawks and the Lions.
Pittsburgh revamped its entire ILB room earlier this offseason, signing Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts as well as special teamer Tanner Muse to go along with second-year LB Mark Robinson. Still, the pass coverage and splash play ability of this group is limited, making ILB a position to which Pittsburgh should still consider adding. The Steelers brought in Kwon Alexander for a visit several weeks ago, and he is a player who would make a big impact if he would circle back to them. Other players like Zach Cunningham, Deion Jones, and Jayon Brown are experienced former starters who are all under the age of 30 and could add more speed to the room.
All the names listed above should not break the bank as they have been on the open market for months and would likely agree to a one-year pact in the neighborhood of the veteran minimum to around $3 million. The Steelers may be looking at the options that they currently have in-house at these positions and are evaluating whether to stand pat with what they have in-house or go outside the organization and acquire another depth option/rotational piece.
We shall see what direction the Steelers take with their final roster spot before training camp gets underway next month. Don’t be surprised if Pittsburgh adds one more notable name into the fold in the next couple of weeks.
