The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 offseason practices concluded in the middle of June. Next up is the team’s annual training camp, which gets underway in the latter part of July at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Ahead of Steelers training camp, we will preview the team’s offseason roster three players at a time as part of a multi-post series. This Steelers roster preview, which includes outlooks for every player, will be done alphabetically by last name to make it easy to follow. This series figures to exceed 90 players this year as the team can carry 91 players in total during the offseason due to the allowance of one international player designation.
The next set of three players we will preview ahead of Steelers 2024 training camp are Grayland Arnold, Calvin Austin III, and Anthony Averett.
DB Grayland Arnold: The Steelers did not sign Arnold to their offseason roster until early June, so he’s had to acclimate himself to the team very quickly. An undrafted free agent out of Baylor in 2020, Arnold, who was originally signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, spent time with Houston Texans in 2023 on his way to registering 18 total tackles, one for loss, and one forced fumble in 143 total defensive snaps played. Arnold also registered 132 special teams snaps with the Texans in 2023. He played mostly as a slot cornerback on defense in 2023 as part of him playing in eight regular-season games for the Texans His 2023 season ended in the middle of November thanks to a calf injury.
Outlook: Measuring 5091, 186 pounds at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Arnold’s best path to making the Steelers’ 53-man roster later this summer might come as a slot defender. He has, however, played some free safety in the NFL after playing that position some in college as well. The fact that Arnold is used to playing on special teams at the NFL level is also a plus for him. He’ll certainly need to excel on that unit if he wants any shot at making the Steelers’ 53-man roster to start the 2024 regular season.
Realistically, however, Arnold is a longshot to make the Steelers’ 53-man roster. Assuming he can remain under contract through the preseason, Arnold’s best shot at staying with Pittsburgh come the fall might be via a practice squad spot. He has a tough path this summer for sure.
WR Calvin Austin III: After missing his entire 2022 rookie season due to a foot injury, Austin, a former fourth-round draft pick out of Memphis, played in every game for the Steelers in 2023. Even so, Austin only managed to register 18 total receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns on 32 total targets, and that includes the team’s lone playoff contest. Seventy-two of his 2023 receiving yards came on one catch.
Austin did, however, register 11 rushing attempts for 57 yards and a touchdown in 2023. Austin also returned punts for the Steelers in his second NFL season, totaling 30 of them for 261 yards with a long of 34 yards. He logged 401 snaps on offense in 2023 and 83 more on special teams. Only 171 of his offensive snaps came in the slot, however, as he was mostly used as an outside wide receiver in 2023.
Outlook: This summer and moving forward into the 2024 season, Austin still has a lot to prove as an NFL wide receiver. The Steelers drafted WR Roman Wilson in the third round this year in addition to adding several cheaper, yet experienced, wide receivers as free agents. In short, Austin will have a lot of competition pushing him throughout training camp and the preseason.
It’s doubtful that Austin will be used a lot more out of the slot in 2024. Additionally, it’s hard to imagine him seeing a lot of playing time in offensive groupings that require just two wide receivers on the field. Austin will likely need to maximize his snap opportunities in 2024, and hopefully he sees a higher target share than he did in 2023. In college, Austin provided a high percentage of explosive plays and that’s an element of his game the Steelers could really use more of in 2024. There’s a good chance that Austin will once again be the Steelers’ punt returner in 2024 as well.
If indeed that’s the case, he’ll have additional opportunities to change games with his playmaking speed and big-play ability.
CB Anthony Averett: The Steelers signed Averett to their offseason roster after he participated in the team’s annual rookie minicamp as a veteran tryout player. A fourth-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens out of Alabama in 2018, Averett spent time in 2023 on the practice squad of the Detroit Lions. He failed to play any snaps for them in 2023, however. He did play sparingly on defense for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 but failed to log any special teams snaps with them. In total, Averett has played in 51 regular-season games with 27 starts.
While Averett has played in the slot some in the NFL, most of his defensive snaps have come as an outside cornerback.
Outlook: The fact that Averett failed to play any snaps in 2023 tells you a lot about where he is now in his NFL career. It’s also notable that he’s never been regarded as a strong special teams contributor. The Steelers might test his position flexibility this summer during training camp, but odds are good they will look at him mostly as an outside cornerback. They will also likely test what he has to offer as a special teams player.
Averett will turn 30 years old in November and this summer might be his last shot at making an NFL roster. He has a tough path ahead of him come the start of training camp, and thus he should be considered a longshot to make the 53-man roster, assuming he stays under contract through the preseason. His best bet at sticking in Pittsburgh might be as a veteran practice squad player.
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