Final Cuts Not Difficult. A Possible 53-Man Roster

Good morning,

The cutdown to 53 players should not be a difficult one for the Steelers. When it comes to who makes the last few roster spots, there will not be a lot of anguish, at least not in those making them.

Remember that one of these players will be cut and brought back because Maurkice Pouncey has to make the 53-man roster on Saturday and the go on short-term injured reserve and someone else will be brought back. Also, two other players will make the team because of the suspensions to Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant. One will have to be cut after two games to make room for Bell – presumably halfback Josh Harris. Another will have to go after four games to make room for Bryant.

Those on the “bubble” as it is often called would be players such as rookies Anthony Chickillo and L.T. Walton one or two defensive backs and perhaps Tyler Murphy, although he has made a great impression in his conversion from quarterback to wide receiver and has become my strongest dark horse. I also have Jordan Berry beating out Brad Wing as the punter in an extremely close call. I just think Berry has a bigger upside and it was he they turned to when they needed someone to kick off in Buffalo after Garrett Hartley’s injury.

It’s also possible they will add someone from another team’s final cuts, especially in the defensive line, where they have little depth and would like to upgrade. If that happens, Walton goes on the practice squad instead of the 53. 

Let’s take a look at the possible 53-man roster gleaned from their current roster:

QUARTERBACKS: Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Vick, Landry Jones

RUNNING BACKS: DeAngelo Williams, Will Johnson, Dri Archer, Josh Harris, Le’Veon Bell (suspended four games)

TIGHT ENDS: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Jesse James

WIDE RECEIVERS: Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Sammie Coates, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Tyler Murphy, Martavis Bryant (suspended four games)

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: T Kelvin Beachum, G Ramon Foster, C Cody Wallace, G David DeCastro, T Marcus Gilbert, G/C Chris Hubbard, T Alejandro Villanueva, G/C Doug Legursky, C Maurkice Pouncey (short-term IR)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: E Cam Heyward, E Stephon Tuitt, NT Steve McLendon, NT Daniel McCullers, E/NT Cam Thomas, E L.T. Walton

LINEBACKERS: O Arthur Moats, I Ryan Shazier, I Lawrence Timmons, O Jarvis Jones, O James Harrison, O Bud Dupree, I Sean Spence, I Vince Williams, I Terence Garvin, O Anthony Chickillo

DEFENSIVE BACKS: CB Cortez Allen, CB William Gay, S Mike Mitchell, S Shamarko Thomas, CB Brandon Boykin, CB Antwon Blake, S Will Allen, S Ross Ventrone, CB Doran Grant, S Robert Golden, CB Kevin Fogg,

SPECIALISTS: K Josh Scobee, P Jordan Berry, LS Greg Warren