NFL teams will make their roster cut downs a week from today as the league inches closer to the start of the 2020 season.
The Steelers will have another week of practices before they have to trim their roster to 53 players and 16 practice squad members. Remember, teams can then increase their rosters on game day to 55.
So, with that in mind, here is my 53-plus-2 roster that will line up for the Steelers Sept. 14 at MetLife Stadium against the Giants:
Quarterbacks (3) -- Ben Roethlisberer, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges
This is not to say that Hodges has been head and shoulders above Paxton Lynch, but he's not done anything to lose the No. 3 job, either. Nor has Lynch done anything to win it, something that would have been difficult to do without preseason games. That said, I think the Steelers keep all four around, with one going to the practice squad. Roethlisberger looks great. Rudolph looks like he's improved, as well.
Running backs (5) -- James Conner, Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, Jaylen Samuels, Derek Watt
The real question here is whether Samuels makes it over, say Kerrith Whyte. Given the fact Samuels plays special teams coverage units and Whyte is only a kicker returner in that area, the guess here is yes. McFarland will be given a shot to replace Whyte as the kick return man. And he's shown he also can return punts. A slimmed-down Snell has looked good in this camp and could spell Conner at times, especially early in the season. Whyte, veteran Wendell Smallwood or both could wind up on the practice squad.
Wide receivers (6) -- Diontae Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Chase Claypool, Ryan Switzer, Ray-Ray McCloud
The first four are set in stone. And the addition of Claypool as a big, speedy outside receiver makes Deon Cain, who doesn't do anything on special teams, redundant. And with Claypool looking like he can contribute right away, it lessens the need for Cain, who can only play on the outside. That gives the Steelers four receivers who can play outside, which is more than enough, especially since they can split Vance McDonald and Eric Ebron out there, as well. McCloud has impressed with his potential not only as a return guy, but he's not bad as a receiver, either. Cain probably winds up on the practice squad with at least one other receiver.
Tight ends (3) -- Vance McDonald, Eric Ebron, Zach Gentry
The top two are obviously set in stone. Gentry's spot on the roster would be more tenuous if the competition didn't keep getting hurt. Kevin Rader is certainly capable, as well. It could come down to which one is the better special teams player. I like Rader in that aspect better than Gentry. We'll see.
Offensive line (8) -- Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Chuks Okorafor, Zach Banner, Stefen Wisniewski, Kevin Dotson
It's a pretty good, deep group. Okorafor's groin injury is the one thing he couldn't afford to happen in terms of winning the starting RT job. He was back on Thursday and worked again Friday, but his time off cost him a couple of days worth of reps. Banner has continued to push forward. Sometimes an injury like that is all it takes to push a camp battle one way or the other. But both will play, as the Steelers still intend to use six-man offensive lines quite a bit. Wisniewski will be the primary backup at all three interior spots. Dotson gets a redshirt year, while Derwin Gray can line up at guard or right tackle and be the 54th or 55th man.
Defensive line (6) -- Cam Heyward, Tyson Alualu, Stephon Tuitt, Chris Wormley, Isaiah Buggs, Daniel McCullers
Yes, McCullers makes the cut again. He has been the team's sixth-best lineman in this camp. Actually, considering how much time Wormley has missed, he's been the fifth-best lineman. Wormley needs these next couple of weeks of practice to get up to speed.
Outside linebacker (4) -- T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Alex Highsmith, Ola Adeniyi
Highsmith has been coming on strong. He's looked good in this camp and has the size that Adeniyi just doesn't possess. Tuzar Skipper or Jayrone Elliott, signed Friday, could make it if they can play special teams. In fact, Elliott's signing Friday after a week in which special teams play was stressed doesn't bode well of Skipper. Elliott wasn't bad on teams last year in a short stint with the team, while Skipper wasn't given a lot of opportunities on the coverage units. Elliott is clearly the better special teams player, which you had better be if you're not a starter.
Inside linebacker (5) -- Devin Bush, Vince Williams, Ulysees Gilbert, Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen
Not much drama here. These were the top four coming into camp. They're the top four coming out. Gilbert has shown enough to be the primary backup. But he doesn't pack the run-stuffing punch of Williams. Allen has been getting as many, if not more, snaps at inside linebacker as he has at safety. I'm going to include him here.
Cornerbacks (6) -- Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton, Cam Sutton, Justin Layne, James Pierre
This is probably as good a group of Steelers corners from top to bottom as they have had in more than a decade. Haden and Nelson are a strong starting duo, Hilton is one of the best nickel corners in the league and Sutton can play inside or out. Layne continues to show promise as a possible starter down the road, while the 6-foot-2 Pierre has caught my eye as an undrafted player out of Florida Atlantic.
Safeties (4) -- Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Curtis Riley, Antoine Brooks
Riley has been one of the best finds of this camp. Signed a few weeks ago, he's shown with Edmunds out the past week that he can step in and be a starter at either free or strong safety. Allen, Sutton and Hilton can all play safety, as well, so depth isn't the concern it was a month ago.
Specialists (3) -- Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry, Kameron Canaday
I just don't see the Steelers making the move to release Berry and keep Corliss Waitman, who hasn't beaten him out in my eyes. Yes, Waitman is cheaper, but this is a team that feels it can compete for a Super Bowl. It's not so much about giving up a yard or so on punts. It's more about perhaps messing with Boswell's holder.
Game day additions (2) -- Trey Edmunds, Derwin Gray
NFL rules state one of the players you activate on game day have to be an extra offensive lineman. While Mike Tomlin said earlier this year that could open the door for more pure centers to be activated, the Steelers have Wisniewski as a backup center unless he's forced into the starting lineup because of an injury at guard. So, for now, Gray is the extra lineman. Edmunds has shown to be a solid special teams player.
Practice squad (16) -- OLB Jayrone Elliott, G/T Derwin Gray, C JC Hassenauer, OT Christian DeLauro, WR Deon Cain, RB Wendell Smallwood, RB Kerrith Whyte, DT Henry Mondeaux, CB Trajan Bandy, QB Paxton Lynch, DT Carlos Davis, TE Kevin Rader, DT Cavon Walker, S John Battle, RB Trey Edmunds, CB Alexander Myres
I wouldn't be shocked if Edmunds or Myres made the final roster because of their special teams skills. Both are good in that part of the game. Elliott also has some chops there, as well. Bandy could be in the mix in 2021 as the team's nickel cornerback. Davis, a seventh-round pick, will get a year on scholarship, but right now, Mondeaux is the better player.
MORE FROM FRIDAY PRACTICE
• This was a big special teams week, as Tomlin had the Steelers go live with those periods on more than one occasion.
"We had some live special teams periods," Tomlin said after Friday night's mock game under the lights that lasted a little over an hour. "I think that’s important in order to give these guys an opportunity to show what they’re capable of in that area and evaluate them. Let’s be honest, that’s the most significant area of needed evaluation as you fill out your roster. It was really good to give guys an opportunity, some young and new to us, to just show what they’re capable of and their ability to execute with great detail in that area."
That included using rookie running back Anthony McFarland as a punt return man. In the rain. McFarland picked up 15 yards on his return of a Jordan Berry punt out of the end zone. And it wasn't because it was a bad punt. McFarland is that quick.
• Tomlin's message before practice, seen above in its entirety, was moving and strong. It also was very thoughtful.
Tomlin expanded upon it after practice.
"We have social justice committees that are actively engaged and processes that we are going to participate in—voter registration, police education and understanding the meetings with those guys, other things that put us out in the community," Tomlin said. "Tonight, more than anything, we wanted to take the small platform that we have, as small as it is as a scrimmage, to state that we stand united with those who are suffering, and we see them and hear them. Regardless of our privilege, we are sensitive to the hurt and pain and the struggle that’s going on around us."
Nobody is saying anything, but I would expect that this will be the Steelers' lone visible response to the social justice issues. They have never had a player take a knee during the national anthem. I don't believe they will now.
They made a point of locking arms during Tomlin's speech. The team's primary message is that it is unified.
• Benny Snell's drop in weight of 12 pounds to 212 seems to be paying dividends. Thursday, he ran over Marcus Allen in a one-on-one drill, then sidestepped him on the next play when Tomlin had those two match up again.
Friday, he carried the ball a lot as James Conner didn't work much on a wet turf and looked quick in the hole. That was something that was missing last year. Snell had power, but lacked a top-end gear and much wiggle.
He's got more of that this year.
Snell also got to show off his receiving chops a bit. He caught a short pass from Ben Roethlisberger and turned it into a big play.
Snell will be the primary backup to Conner and McFarland will likely be a change-of-pace, at least to start.
• According to the team's video feed of this practice, Zach Banner worked with the first-team line at right tackle, while Chuks Okorafor was with the second unit.
Don't read too much into that just yet. This was Banner's turn to work with the first team and Okorafor just came back Thursday from a groin strain that held him out earlier in the week.
It's likely the Steelers will have another dress rehearsal next week -- Thursday perhaps to coincide with what would have been their final preseason game in Carolina -- which would likely be Okorafor's day to be with the first unit.
• Bud Dupree has been getting some reps off with some kind of hand issue. But that's allowed Alex Highsmith to get more work, and that's not a bad thing.
Highsmith can rush the passer. He's strong and has a good burst around the end. The Steelers might have stolen a player in the third round there.
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