We are officially in the dog days of summer between now and the start of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp on July 25 at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Until then, we’re in for a dead period from a football perspective — unless GM Omar Khan stuns everyone and pulls off another heist via trade.
That could very well happen, but until it does, let’s continue on with my Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series here at Steelers Depot, ranking every start, including punter and kicker, from No. 24 down to No. 1.
Below is the list of projected starters that I am using for the series. The series features a two-tight end, 12-personnel set, and base package football defensively. That means just one running back, so I had to choose between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as the starter. I also ditched the three-CB look defensively to go back to the traditional 3-4 scheme.
Therefore, that means you won’t see names like Cameron Sutton or Damontae Kazee defensively, but you will see Keeanu Benton this summer after not being included last summer.
This is the starting lineup that I believe will be rolled out in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons on the road.
*italics indicates players are already ranked in the series.
Offense
QB — Russell Wilson
RB — Najee Harris
WR — George Pickens
WR – Van Jefferson
TE — Pat Freiermuth
TE — Darnell Washington
LT — Dan Moore Jr.
LG — Isaac Seumalo
C — Zach Frazier
RG — James Daniels
RT – Broderick Jones
Defense
DE — Cameron Heyward
DE — Larry Ogunjobi
NT — Keeanu Benton
OLB — Alex Highsmith
ILB — Elandon Roberts
ILB — Patrick Queen
OLB — T.J. Watt
CB — Joey Porter Jr.
CB — Donte Jackson
S — Minkah Fitzpatrick
S — DeShon Elliott
Specialists
K – Chris Boswell
P — Cameron Johnston
Here is how the rankings looks so far:
No. 24 — Dan Moore Jr., LT
No. 23 — Darnell Washington, TE
No. 22 — Van Jefferson, WR
No. 21 — Zach Frazier, C
No. 20 — Larry Ogunjobi, DE
No. 19 — Cameron Johnston, P
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the next segment of the Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series, looking at No. 18-16.
No. 18 — Donte Jackson, CB
This ranking of Jackson at No. 18 says more about the talent the Steelers have top to bottom as starters than it does about Jackson and his ability, at least in my eyes.
Acquiring the cornerback via trade from the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver Dionte Johnson, the Steelers believe that Jackson can be a very solid running mate for second-year pro Joey Porter Jr., who emerged as a star in his rookie season.
Jackson has great speed and plenty of experience in the NFL. The ball skills are rather impressive, too, giving Pittsburgh a real threat to take the football away at a high rate at the cornerback position. With his speed, experience and underrated physicality, Jackson fits well into the Steelers’ secondary.
Health is the biggest question. If he can bounce back from a tough 2023 season in Carolina, the Steelers will be really happy with the investment in Jackson.
No. 17 — Elandon Roberts, ILB
After landing at No. 20 in this series last summer, Roberts moves up three spots thanks to a terrific 2023 season for the Black and Gold.
It’s hard to put into words just how good — and important — Roberts was for the Steelers in 2023. After signing a two-year deal with the Steelers last offseason in free agency, Roberts went on to lead them in tackles (101) on the season. He played just over 50% of the snaps, sharing time early in the season with Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander before injuries hit the position hard.
Roberts was that early-down linebacker when Holcomb and Alexander were healthy, coming off the field in passing situations. Against the run, attacking downhill, Roberts was a force and really brought a physical presence. He was an effective blitzer, too.
When the Steelers needed him the most, he stepped up in a major way, taking ownership of the inside linebackers room and elevating his play in big way. He was the heart and soul of the Steelers’ defense at times last season, and will once again be looked to as the physical presence in the middle.
No. 16 — Broderick Jones, RT
Jones provided a real jolt to the Steelers’ offense last season when he was inserted into the starting lineup Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans.
The Georgia product’s nasty demeanor playing with an edge, and his athleticism at right tackle, not to mention his power, helped the Steelers take off as a rushing attack overall. The Steelers were very good down the stretch in the run game, and Jones was a big reason why.
While he really had some great moments early on in his time at right tackle, he seemingly hit the rookie wall and started to regress down the stretch, especially from a pass-blocking perspective. Playing out of position at right tackle, Jones allowed 25 pressures after becoming the starter at right tackle. Of those 25 pressures, 13 came in the final four weeks of the regular season.
The future is still exceptionally bright for Jones though, especially if a move to the left side happens this season. He’s better suited there, but if he’s at right tackle once again, the Steelers should expect a stalwart on the right side. He has all the tools and should be much higher on this list next summer.
