2023 Steelers Training Camp Preview: Special Teams
It’s hard to believe but the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 Training Camp is right around the corner. As we countdown the days until camp begins, SCU will highlight each position group detailing the players who will be competing for a spot on the Steelers’ final 53-man roster at the end of this Summer.
It’s not sexy. It’s not exciting. But it is another phase of football outside of the offense and defense: and it can be an important one!
It’s time to talk about kickers, punters, and those guys who support the part of the action where an actual “foot” is involved in football. Here’s what you need to know.
Chris Boswell
A constant for the Steelers since 2015, Chris Boswell returns for another season at 32 years of age. Lifetime, he his 24-of-30 for 50 yards or more kicking field goals, including a career-long 59 yarder.
Boswell has converted 86.3% of his kicks during his career, but dipped to below 90% for the first time since an injury-riddled 2018 season, dropping to 71.4%, which is also a career low.
This would be a cause for concern but the bulk of his misses were from 40+ yards out, including two misses (but 7 makes) from 50 or more.
There’s little concern that he will not be the kicker once camp folds.
Pressley Harvin III
The 2020 Ray Guy Award winner as the best collegiate punter, Harvin has had an up-and-down pro career. His net yards were up from year-to-year last season, but his touchbacks increased by two and his “in the 20” punts also declined from 25 to 20.
Christian Kuntz
Kuntz has been a steady, healthy, and consistent long snapper for the Steelers since winning the job in 2021. He has appeared in all 34 games since, and has also contributed by making several tackles on special teams.
Others in camp
B.T. Potter, a rookie kicker out of Clemson, will join Boswell in camp. Potter shouldn’t be considered a threat to Boswell’s job, and was added to the roster for rookie camp, and to alternate with Boswell, especially as a fill-in during preseason games.
Long snapper Rex Sunahara joins the Steelers again after signing to the practice squad in 2021 and a Reserve/Futures contract thereafter. He recently spent time in the XFL.
The most serious of the additions here coming to camp is Braden Mann, who has played with the New York Jets for the last three seasons, appearing in 43 games. Mann was a punting machine, twice exceeding 80 punts in two of those seasons in New York.
His net average is on par with Harvin’s, but Mann has a larger propensity to drop balls within the 20-yard-line. Unfortunately, he also tied for third-most punts (by number) for touchbacks, though percentage-wise he was tenth overall.
Comparatively, by percentages, Harvin was a superior punter – but not by much. This will be one camp battle to keep an eye on.
Return Specialists
The return spots are all up in the air currently. Gunner Olszewski lost his return job to Steven Sims last season, but Sims left to join the Houston Texans during free agency.
With a packed wide receiver room featuring Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin, Myles Bokyin, and Hakeem Butler, it would appear that Gunner’s days could be numbered, and a new punt returner would need to emerge from this group. The early favorite would be a healthy Austin, who had the third-fastest 40-yard dash time (among receivers) at the 2022 NFL Combine.
It’s highly unlikely that Johnson or Pickens assumes this role, and Mike Tomlin generally avoids using defensive backs for this role. Regardless, the main candidate who took practice reps in camp the last several seasons, Cameron Sutton, is now a Detroit Lion.
This leaves a lot up for debate, and doesn’t cover kick return duties, where the Steelers traditionally toss a backup running back into the mix. That could be Jaylen Warren, but depending on if the team rosters a third back, potentially a veteran, that could also fall on one of the receivers or even FB/TE Connor Heyward.
Of the position groups this offseason, this is the one with perhaps the most uncertainty at this time. I wouldn’t rule out a specialist being added to the roster for this purpose by the time Week 1 rolls around.
