Bryan: 2024 Steelers 53-Man Roster Prediction: Pre-Training Camp Edition

With the Pittsburgh Steelers reporting to the Saint Vincent College in Latrobe on Wednesday for the start of their 2024 training camp, it’s time for me to finally throw out my initial 53-man roster prediction for the team.

As usual, I have included some analysis underneath each position group. I invite you to post your own differences in the comments below along with your own 53-man roster prediction.

My next stab at the Steelers’ 53-man roster will likely be posted right before the team’s first preseason game. After that, one will come after each and every preseason game.

Offense (24)

Quarterbacks (3) – Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kyle Allen

Analysis: My how this room has changed this offseason. A complete out with the old and in with the new. Barring injuries, it’s hard to see these not being the three. As for undrafted rookie free agent John Rhys Plumlee, he was selected early in the recent UFL draft. He might not even get any playing time during the preseason. I have a feeling that he will be completely out of Pittsburgh by Week 1 and thus not even on the practice squad.

Running Backs (3) – Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson

Analysis: Harris, Warren, and Patterson are obviously locks. Patterson is expected to be one of the kickoff returners as well. Undrafted rookie Daijun Edwards is a name to watch during training camp and the preseason, and as of right now I think he has a shot at sticking as a practice squad member.

Wide Receivers (5) – George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller

Analysis: It certainly feels like five wide receivers will be the max kept this year, and you can argue that the number might be as low as four with the expected heavy usage of tight ends in 2024 under new OC Arthur Smith. Pickens, Austin, and Wilson are my locks. As for what the rest of the group looks like, it’s a crapshoot right now. It’s plausible that the Steelers trade for a wide receiver before Week 1 but hard to say who that player might be if it ultimately happens. Jefferson and Miller both played for Smith in Atlanta, so I have those two with slight edges. The Steelers might just dress four wide receivers for games even if five are kept on the 53. This will be a fun position group to watch in these next 45 days.

Tight Ends/Fullbacks (4) – Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, Rodney Williams

Analysis: This group certainly feels like it will be at least four in total with Freiermuth, Washington and Heyward all locks. Heyward is a great special teams player. I left newcomer MyCole Pruitt out in lieu of Williams, who is a better-than-average special teams player and much younger than Pruitt. All of that said, Pruitt could easily grab that final spot over Williams. Consider my Williams selection as being a point to the fence.

Offensive Linemen (9) – James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Dan Moore Jr., Nate Herbig, Dylan Cook, Mason McCormick

Analysis: I have nine as the final count and my nine should be hard to bet against. The nine obviously includes three rookie draft picks in Fautanu, Frazier and McCormick. Unless Moore is traded, it’s hard seeing him not making this group along with Daniels, Seumalo, Jones, and Herbig. I have Cook making the 53-man roster again just like he did last year. As for Spencer Anderson, who was on the 53-man roster last year as a rookie draft pick, I have him starting 2024 on the practice squad. I didn’t think twice about these nine.

Defense (26)

Defensive Linemen (7) – Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, DeMarvin Leal

Analysis: I’m going a tiny bit heavy at this position group with seven in total. At a minimum, the Steelers will keep six defensive linemen. The only newcomer of these seven is Lowry, who was signed as a free agent earlier in the offseason. It feels like one of Loudermilk or Leal could be left off if only six are kept at this position group. As for rookie draft pick Logan Lee, he has a lot to prove during training camp and the preseason. If he shows out this summer, he could very well displace either Loudermilk or Leal for the seventh spot. For now, however, I have Lee making the practice squad to start the 2024 regular season.

Inside Linebackers (5) – Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Payton Wilson, Tyler Matakevich

Analysis: I was debating leaving the newly signed Matakevich off in lieu of Mark Robinson but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Robinson just hasn’t panned out like most hoped he would to this point and Matakevich is a special teams demon to boot. The only real question here in late July is the health of Holcomb. Will he be ready for the start of training camp? If he isn’t, will he be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season? He’s a wild card until he begins practicing in training camp.

Outside Linebackers (4) – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jeremiah Moon

Analysis: The first three in this position group are obvious locks. As for Moon being my fourth, it was an easy choice as it feels like he has the inside track with him getting playing time experience on defense and special teams when he was with Baltimore. The Steelers snagged him off waivers early in the year. The Steelers will likely keep two more outside linebackers on their practice squad.

Cornerbacks (6) – Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Josiah Scott, Cory Trice Jr., Darius Rush, Beanie Bishop Jr.

Analysis: Man, this position group has really changed since the end of the 2023 season. Outside of Porter and Jackson, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the group shakes out, especially with veteran Cameron Sutton scheduled to start the 2024 regular season on the Reserve/Suspended list. Scott seems to be entering training camp with the inside shot at the slot position. Trice will hopefully be healthy after missing his rookie season and able to be a backup and special teamer. Rush is a bit of a wild card after playing a little last season on defense. As for the undrafted free agent rookie Bishop, hopefully he can show enough to stick and possibly be a Week 1 inactive player. Much like the wide receiver position group, this cornerback group has a lot of uncertainty tied to it entering training camp.

Safeties (4) – Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damontae Kazee, Miles Killebrew

Analysis: I only have room for four safeties and quite honestly, Killebrew, the special teams captain, is a player the Steelers probably don’t want to see on the field as part of the defense if they can help it. I could see this group having as many as five in total when the smoke clears, but doing so would require cutting from another position group and probably on the defensive side of the football at that. Barring injuries, these four should be on the 53-man roster just the same.

Specialists (3)

Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell

Analysis: Barring an injury, Boswell should be a lock again this season. His 2023 season was a very nice rebound from his poor 2022 campaign as his injuries probably played a big part in those struggles that season. The Steelers have Matthew Wright on their offseason roster to lighten Boswell’s summer chores.

Punter (1) – Cameron Johnson

Analysis: The Steelers cut ties with Pressley Harvin III early in the offseason and they turned around and signed the veteran Johnston at the start of unrestricted free agency. He’s their punter in 2024 barring any sort of injury.

Long Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz

Analysis: Kuntz is the incumbent long snapper, and he was re-signed to a new three-year deal earlier in the offseason. The Steelers don’t have any competition for Kuntz on their offseason roster so barring something totally unexpected, he’s going to be the team’s long snapper again in 2024.

Non 53-Man Spots (1)

Reserve/Suspended (1)  – Cameron Sutton

Analysis: Sutton has been suspended by the NFL for the first eight games of the 2024 regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. He chose not to appeal his suspension so the earliest we can see him is Week 10.

Practice Squad (17)  – DE Logan Lee, DB Ryan Watts, RB Daijun Edwards, WR Marquez Callaway, DB Grayland Arnold, ILB Mark Robinson, C Ryan McCollum, T/G Spencer Anderson, T Devery Hamilton, DT Breiden Fehoko, OLB David Perales, RB Jonathan Ward, FB Jack Colletto, ILB Jacoby Windmon, WR Dez Fitzpatrick, S Nate Meadors, OLB Julius Welschof (INT exception)

Analysis: Just 17 dart throws at practice squad signings and all from the 91-man roster entering training camp. The Steelers have a history of adding several players released from other NFL teams so obviously all 17 of my selections won’t hit. It will be interesting, however, to see how many of these 17 players do wind up starting the 2024 regular season on the practice squad.

Summary: As is usually the case, a lot of these 53-man roster projected players are quite obvious ones. There is, however, quite a bit of wiggle room when it comes to about 10 or so other spots in total, and that’s the case every year entering training camp.

I wanted to go with Future Player a few times in this prediction because as history has shown us over the years, there are likely to be two or three players on the Week 1 roster who were not with the team at the start of training camp. I, however, chose to make this prediction revolve around the 91 players currently under contract and then work from there as training camp and the preseason progress. I have all but two draft picks, DE Logan Lee and DB Ryan Watts, making the Week 1 53-man roster. I also have an odd 24/26 player split on offense and defense on this initial roster prediction