The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their second preseason game of the season Saturday night against the Buffalo Bills, an impressive 27-15 win. Though there’s much to celebrate, the strength of this emerging offense, the aggressiveness of the defense, there’s a couple of players who can’t be feeling good about their roster spots with just over a week until the August 29 NFL cutdown deadline.
Based on yesterday’s snap count and performance around them, here are five Steelers whose roster chances were decreased Saturday. We’ll primarily focus on the unheralded names as opposed to the Kendrick Green’s of the world who generate more obvious attention. And we’re talking 53-man roster or practice squad here.
S Tre Norwood
Norwood missed the game with a right leg injury he’s been battling for more than a week. Before camp broke, he was ramping things up and went through individual sessions in the final camp practice. But Mike Tomlin essentially ruled him out well before kickoff with the hopes to play him in Thursday’s finale against Atlanta.
After a solid start to camp, Norwood has missed the team’s first two preseason outings due to the injury. With the number of exhibition games reduced from four to three, it makes all the missed time even more valuable. While S Kenny Robinson has cooled off after a hot start to camp, he has been available and working throughout the entirety of the summer. Trenton Thompson has also flashed in the preseason, though his game is erratic and inconsistent.
There’s no guarantee Pittsburgh keeps five safeties, especially if NCB Elijah Riley makes the team (he can also play safety) and even if they do, Norwood’s lack of availability ding his chances. It’s tough being a bubble player entering camp, missing a bunch of time, and expecting to stick on the 53. Maybe he’ll wind up on the practice squad.
CB Luq Barcoo
Barcoo briefly flashed in training camp, stringing together a couple of solid practices with interceptions and breakups. A ballhawk from San Diego State, tackling and physicality were his concerns and he reminded of those in the opener against Tampa Bay, missing a tackle on a wide receiver screen that should’ve gone for a loss.
Yesterday against Buffalo, Barcoo didn’t log a single defensive snap. Instead, CB Chris Wilcox finished out the game behind Joey Porter Jr. Barcoo has some talent but it doesn’t seem like his game is well-rounded enough to keep him around.
OLB Quincy Roche
Roche is an odd one. According to the NFL gamebook, he logged a handful of snaps on special teams. In viewing the All-22 tape, some of that came on punt coverage, meaning he was healthy enough to sprint downfield and cover punts. But he didn’t see a single defensive snap against the Bills, the Steelers using a heavy dose of rookies David Perales and Toby Nduwke instead. Even on the Steelers’ final defensive drive, DL Manny Jones was used as a standup outside linebacker.
Whatever it means for Roche can’t be good. He has more experience than Perales and Ndwuke but he’s still battling hard for a roster spot. If his snap count yesterday is any indication, he’s in trouble. He’ll need to show up against the Falcons if he’s given the opportunity.
WR Hakeem Butler
As we noted yesterday, Butler did not play in this game, ostensibly due to an injury. It’s unclear what it is or when he suffered it, he practiced the final day of camp, but his already diminishing odds of even hanging onto the practice squad took another hit. His camp was quiet and had too many dropped passes, letting two hit the ground on consecutive targets in the final camp practice.
While he was out, WR Cody White continued to state his case as someone willing to do the dirty work in the run game, line up all over the field, and have some special teams value. WR Dez Fitzpatrick impressed with a great tackle as a gunner to thwart a potentially decent Bills’ return. Those two guys seem to have the upper hand. Similar can be said about WR Dan Chisena, whose camp has been uneventful despite having NFL experience as a special teamer with the Minnesota Vikings.
P Braden Mann
Yesterday, the Steelers played their starters after using their backups in Week One. That alone tells you all you need to know about the state of Pittsburgh’s special teams “battles.” Pressley Harvin III was excellent, all five of his punts downed inside the 20, and his ability to pin the ball deep in practice and in last night’s game may be enough to win him the job. At this point, Mann appears to be of little threat.
