Yesterday Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said the Steelers would face some tough decisions cutting down their defensive line room to get to 53. While head coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged that there would be tough decisions across the board, he’s of the mindset that those tough decisions are a good thing. Tomlin explained why during his press conference today ahead of the team’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday.
“Regardless of who we’re playing, I think the 11th-hour push is there in games such as these for those vying for a limited number of spots. I’m thankful that we have tough decisions, that just means that we’ve had a good 90. And that’s our goal, to bring the best 90 that we can into an environment and work them and provide them an opportunity to get better and show their skills,” Tomlin said via the team’s YouTube channel. “There are going to be some tough decisions, not only in the front but in a lot of places. That’s a good thing and that’s a credit to the work the guys have done through this process.”
Besides the defensive line, where guys like Armon Watts, Isaiahh Loudermilk and Breiden Fehoko are battling for the final defensive line spot, there are still roster battles for the final safety slot, the fourth cornerback slot, the slot corner job and various areas along the offensive line.
While the starters are mostly set outside of a few areas, the battle for the final roster spots is going to really come down to this last week of practice, with a heavy emphasis on performance in Thursday’s preseason game. For some guys, like S Tre Norwood, he’s going to have to be healthy enough to play to earn his opportunity over someone like Kenny Robinson or even Elijah Riley, who seems to be climbing up the depth chart at slot corner and also has safety capability.
One thing that Omar Khan has emphasized throughout the offseason and now into the preseason is adding as much competition as possible at every spot on the roster. That’s something that Pittsburgh has done, which is what’s going to make this cutdown from 90 to 53 so difficult. As Austin said yesterday, there’s likely to be a guy who can be an NFL contributor who doesn’t make the initial 53 just because of how deep the Steelers are at certain positions.
They’ve added the competition, and now those guys will have one final chance Thursday night to compete in a game setting to prove they belong in Pittsburgh. Guys have to show they can make an impact, whether it’s in their defined role or on teams. Any way they can gain an edge, Thursday is going to be the time to show it.
One week from now, Tomlin and the front office are going to be cutting the roster down, and the Falcons game will be fresh on their minds. It’s going to be interesting to see who can make an impact against Atlanta and look to secure their place on the roster.
