Another “Way Too Early” Steelers 2024 53-man roster prediction
During the dead period of NFL news rumors and predictions dominate the headlines. It’s fun to predict what may happen, and with free agency and the NFL Draft well behind us, along with most offseason workouts, fans are gearing up for the next phase of football as training camp and the preseason are on the horizon.
While there may be a few more additions or subtractions to the team’s current 90-player roster, the group coming to Saint Vincent’s College for camp is largely set. That group will eventually be whittled down to 53 players.
My exercise here today, is to guess which players will be retained during the cutdown from 90 to 53 players to form the first official 2024 regular-season roster. This is my second such attempt on who will make the team. You can compare my first roster prediction here and see where the changes have been made.
There’s not many, but some of my original surprises are no longer on this version! As with many prediction pieces, they can be a crap shoot much like some online casinos for roulette. I hope you enjoy and let’s see how close I get come this summer!
Quarterbacks (3)
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kyle Allen
As stated in my original predictions, Kyle Allen will have the edge over John Rhys Plumlee due to NFL starting experience. I felt like Plumlee’s athleticism would see him make the team over Allen, but it’s more likely he will join the practice squad and Allen is the third quarterback, given his veteran edge.
Allen has more starts and games played than the former QB3 Mason Rudolph, making him an enticing option to have as an emergency quarterback over a non-drafted prospect like Plumlee.
Plumlee does give the Steelers a chance to mimic other AFC North quarterbacks on the scout team, but it may be too tall of a task to ask for him to jump into real NFL action if he made the team as the third quarterback.
Running Backs (3)
Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson
There’s a change in my running back group, simply due to the designation of Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson, who is a kick returner is dual designated as a “RB/KR” and may see a few touches in the backfield. (He had 347 touches in three seasons under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Atlanta, including 50 in 2023.)
He will get the third running back spot that I had earmarked for undrafted Georgia rookie Daijun Edwards, who will go to the practice squad and get called up as necessary.
(Note: Connor Heyward, who is listed as TE/RB, makes the team with the tight ends group below.)
Wide Receivers (5)
George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, Roman Wilson, Quez Watkins
With Denzel Mims being released recently, this group will likely include several journeyman receivers to round out the roster.
It should be noted that I moved Patterson to being listed as a running back in this iteration, as the team designated him as RB/KR on their official roster. (Make no mistake, he’s 99% going to be a kick returner and not a running back or receiver anyway.)
This leaves some gaps in the tallies, which could open the door for Quez Watkins to be the team’s fifth receiver. Pickens, Austin and Jefferson should be the top three options until the rookie Wilson cracks major playing time. (Which will depend on his development.) Until then, Mike Tomlin will lean on playing experienced players over rookies, as he always does.
Tight Ends (4)
Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, MyCole Pruitt
Arthur Smith should use more multiple tight end sets this season. Therefore, the team signed one of his favorites this offseason, MyCole Pruitt. Pruitt should find a role as a blocker and on special teams. In his mid 30’s now, his position is far from safe, but he can act as a player coach and offers something that the smaller, hybrid player Heyward cannot.
Offensive Linemen (9)
Zach Frazier, James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Broderick Jones, Dan Moore Jr., Nate Herbig, Spencer Anderson, Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick
One area of the roster where I almost always get this wrong is the offensive line. I can never decide on a ninth player to stick to the roster, but ultimately there always is one. So do I take the game like I would with the German version of Roulette77 and keep eight players? Or nine?
Last year, that player was Dylan Cook. While he’s still around, the influx of three rookies on the line means he’s the odd man out.
Due to moving Patterson to the running back depth chart and the release of Denzel Mims (who I had previously making the team) I was able to borrow a spot to fit one more offensive lineman onto the roster. The versatile Spencer Anderson snags this final roster spot.
Defensive Linemen (7)
Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Montravius Adams, Logan Lee
No changes here. As before:
This group is fairly cut and dry with returning starters and backups, plus the rookie Lee all making the squad. Breiden Fehoko is the odd man out.
Linebackers (8)
T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Payton Willis, Mark Robinson
Again, there’s no major updates to this group. I could see Omar Khan making a late addition before camp since the outside linebacker depth is Herbig and Herbig only.
As I mentioned previously: watch for Holcomb’s recovery and Robinson’s development. The team may move one of the two to make room for another backup pass rusher, though with recent injuries on the interior, it’s plausible they return more than the usual four inside linebackers.
Cornerbacks (6)
Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Cameron Sutton, Anthony Averett, Cory Trice Jr., Darius Rush
The defensive backs room made a significant shift since the last column I wrote, adding veterans Cameron Sutton and Anthony Averett to the mix. This bumps my previous number of corners from five to six, “stealing” a spot from the safeties. (Which is a moot point with some players being hybrid defensive backs and listed as such on the roster.)
The release of safety Trenton Thompson made the predictions easier to make, as I was able to slide that open spot up to keep the cornerback room as you see it. The casualty here is another underdog coming to camp, West Virginia rookie Beanie Bishop, who now becomes a practice squad candidate with Sutton’s arrival.
Safeties (5)
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, DeShon Elliott, Miles Killebrew, Ryan Watts
I previously mentioned the safety room was too heavy and “the bottom half of the group (Thompson, Watts) will be fighting for a roster spot. Both may make it early on, but another roster need could bump one, or both, from the 53.”
The additions of Averett and Sutton made that a reality sooner rather than later, with Ryan Watts being the wild card who needs to hold off competition to make the team. His tackling ability and the new kickoff rules should make Watts a prime candidate for special teams and secure his spot.
Specialists (3)
Chris Boswell, Cameron Johnston, Christian Kuntz
And not changes here! As noted before: “Boswell is the definition of having a safe spot while the Steelers added a new punter in Johnston who should be around for several seasons. Their competition in camp will be putting stuff on tape. Nothing more.”
Full List (53)
Here’s the remaining names compiled from the lists above and how the full 53-man roster shakes out.
