The Steelers are now back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, facing down a long regular season that looks a lot more promising given how things have gone leading up to it. Finishing just above .500 last year, they anticipate being able to compete with any team in the league this season with second-year QB Kenny Pickett leading the way.
They’ve done a great deal to address what they identified as their shortcomings during the offseason, which included addressing the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary and the inside linebacker room, which is nearly entirely different from last year. The results have been positive so far.
Even well into the regular season and beyond, there are going to be plenty of questions that need answered. When will the core rookies get to play, or even start? Is the depth sufficient where they upgraded? Can they stand toe-to-toe with the Bengals and the other top teams in the league? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout the season, as we have for many years.
Question: Will the signing of Desmond King bump another defensive back off the roster?
Although the Steelers are only at 53 players on the roster after signing CB Desmond King, as the team also waived P Braden Mann, one still has to wonder if the acquisition won’t have further ramifications for the roster.
King now makes 11 defensive backs, which, while not abnormal round the league, is more than the Steelers typically carry. I believe head coach Mike Tomlin has only rostered defensive backs once or twice over the years, excepting in the case of injuries.
At least theoretically, King now comes in as the Steelers’ best slot defender, or at least the most experienced. Does that alter their plans for Patrick Peterson to play there, or at least the extend to which that will be employed?
Chandon Sullivan is a slot-only defender. Elijah Riley can also play safety but has almost exclusively played in the slot here. But King is capable of playing on the outside as well as the inside. That could be an issue for somebody like James Pierre.
Parting with a defensive back would allow the Steelers to add another tight end, with re-signing Zach Gentry an option, though they may be content with Rodney Williams on the practice squad. Alternatively, they could add another linebacker, either inside or outside. They only kept eight in total, which is quite rare. They were expected to keep nine this year, with Tanner Muse on the inside a mild surprise in being waived.
Of course, they can simply do nothing. It’s not a bad idea to have 11 defensive backs. Most teams have at least five on the field about two-thirds of the time. The Steelers may intend to use six with relative frequency with their three-safety looks.
