Pittsburgh Steelers: 6 Players Who Will Be Toughest to Cut

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All NFL teams have until 4 p.m. ET on Monday August 27 to bring rosters down to 75 players. Each team then has until 9 p.m. ET on August 31 to trim it down to the final 53.

The first cuts are always players we expect. However, there are always a few surprises when the final 53-man roster is announced.

Here are six Pittsburgh Steelers players who may be cut between now and August 31, who would be tough to see go.

Drew Butler/Danny Hrapmann

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Drew Butler and Danny Hrapmann both have a chance to unseat incumbents Jeremy Kapinos and Shaun Suisham for spots on the roster.

Butler has been pretty good this preseason, averaging about 48 yards on 19 punts with two touchbacks and three downed inside the 20.

Hrapmann is perfect on his six field-goal attempts so far, with a long of 43. His kickoffs have been consistently long as well.

At this point, I think both Butler and Hrapmann deserve to be on the roster. However, the team could decide to go with veterans instead of rookies.

Mortty Ivy

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Mortty Ivy was a tough cut last season. In 2012, he has again had a solid camp and preseason with seven tackles and a blocked punt.

With all of the injuries at the outside linebacker position, Ivy has had a chance to show his versatility at ILB and OLB.

Unfortunately, even with all the injuries at linebacker, the team is probably going to be more inclined to go with the veteran Brandon Johnson for the last linebacker spot.

The only way I see Ivy making the team is if Jason Worilds is forced to start the year on the PUP list and Stevenson Sylvester is cut.

Stevenson Sylvester

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Stevenson Sylvester was supposed to be the heir apparent to James Farrior when he was cut this offseason, but I’d be surprised if he made the team.

With injuries to James Harrison and Jason Worilds, Sylvester was getting reps on the outside and recorded three tackles against the Philadelphia Eagles, one of which was for a loss.

Prior to injury, it looked like Sylvester had already been passed on the depth chart by Brandon Johnson, who was signed by the team in June.

Sylvester has been great on special teams, and this is a tough cut because of the expectations most of us had for him going forward.

David Gilreath

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The Steelers have been waiting for a young receiver to step up, and Gilreath looks to have pulled ahead with his performance against the Colts.

David Gilreath had four receptions for 78 yards against the Colts in the second preseason game. However, that’s the only game he's had a reception in so far.

At this point, we don't even know if the Steelers are going to keep five receivers on the roster, or whether the team will keep five running backs with Chris Rainey as a RB/WR.

If Gilreath doesn’t show enough in the last preseason game, I think he will at worst make the Steelers practice squad.

Robert Golden

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With Ryan Clark unable to play in Denver, the Steelers may keep five safeties on the opening day roster.

Mike Tomlin seems to love Will Allen. Therefore, with Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Ryan Mundy and Allen all included, one spot remains available.

Golden has had a really good preseason, and he added an interception against the Bills to go along with five tackles and two passes defended.

We can only hope that Tomlin finally dumps Will Allen, which would leave a spot for Golden and possibly Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith as well.

Adrian Robinson

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I have been a huge Adrian Robinson fan since camp started. I really think he has earned a spot on the 53-man roster.

That being said, I have seen stranger things happen.

The team could be in a tough spot if James Harrison, Jason Worilds and Stevenson Sylvester are all out in Week 1.

The current starters at OLB would be LaMarr Woodley and Chris Carter with Brandon Johnson and Adrian Robinson as backups.

I have seen Robinson improve in every preseason game. It would be really disappointing if he did not make the team.