PITTSBURGH — Training camp and the preseason are just weeks away for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The roster is currently full, with 91 players (the additional slot belongs to Julius Weischof through the NFL’s International Player Pathway) slated to arrive at St. Vincent College. Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin must trim that number down to their final 53-man roster.
There will be a variety of predictable moves for the Steelers in the weeks to come. The top of the lineups are set, so you can pencil in roughly 30 to 35 of those roster spots with starters and immediate backups. Some young players with promise will be moved to the practice squad in the hopes another NFL team overlooks them.
The most difficult part will be making the final cuts. Players will stick out and impress, but not everyone can make the final roster. With that in mind, here are three Steelers who could be surprising cut candidates.
The Steelers need to make bold choices for their secondary. Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson have the top spots locked down, but after that, it’s a crap shoot. DeShon Elliott will start alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety, and it appears youngsters Corey Trice Jr. and Ryan Watts have inside tracks on backup spots. If they take the opportunity, it could render Kazee a needless luxury and in search of a new team.
The inside linebacker position improved greatly for the Steelers. Patrick Queen is a huge upgrade and Payton Wilson figures to steal snaps as a rookie.
That could mean trouble for Robinson, who hasn’t been able to assert himself as the third middle linebacker. He’s been a tweener since being drafted in 2022. Over 17 games last season, he recorded 30 total tackles. His best shot at making the team is to contribute on special teams. With the competition in front of Robinson being so fierce, the Steelers might not view him as essential.
Wide receiver remains an issue for the Steelers. Quez Watkins was one of several veteran receivers brought in this offseason. Watkins is a fine depth WR, but he doesn’t move the needle. The team needs a number two option behind George Pickens, and Watkins is not that. If rookie Roman Wilson impresses at training camp, or if someone like Jacob Copeland, Marquez Callaway, or Scotty Miller stands out, Watkins could be the odd-man out.
Mike Tomlin and his staff have an unenviable task ahead of them. 38 players will be told they aren’t going to be a Pittsburgh Steelers player in 2024, despite putting everything they have into training camp. Unfortunately, the NFL is a brutal business and there is business to do. There are sure to be surprises, and Damontae Kazee, Mark Robinson, and Quez Watkins are three names that could be on the chopping block.
