Steelers Players Who Need Impressive Camp to Avoid Being Cut
The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a pivotal training camp that could determine how the franchise fairs in 2022 and far beyond. There will be no shortage of storylines to follow.
Fans will be watching as the quarterback battle between Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and rookie Kenny Pickett unfold. They'll be waiting to see how the revamped receiving corps shakes out and how the defense looks under new coordinator Teryl Austin. Meanwhile, several players will be fighting just to stick on the regular-season roster.
Pittsburgh will enter camp with a maximum of 90 players. By August 30, that number will be shaved back to 53. While the Steelers undoubtedly have more than 53 NFL-caliber players currently on the roster, not everyone will make it to Week 1.
Here, we'll highlight three players who must especially shine in camp to claim a roster spot. We'll examine both why they're teetering on the roster bubble and how they could benefit Pittsburgh if they happen to make the cut.
Karl Joseph, S
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Safety Karl Joseph spent much of last season on the Steelers practice squad, though he did appear in two regular-season games. This offseason, he re-signed on a one-year, $1 million salary.
Now in his second year with the franchise, Joseph could provide tremendous value as a depth player. He knows the roster, and the 2016 first-round pick has a fair bit of upside still. Two years ago with the Cleveland Browns, Joseph logged 67 tackles, two tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
However, Joseph will have to show that he's ready to shine during camp to make the active roster. Pittsburgh brought back fellow strong safety Terrell Edmunds on a one-year deal and also has Miles Killebrew at the position. While Killebrew's value rests in his special-teams ability, the Steelers are high on him.
"Killebrew is well-liked by coaches and teammates and in addition to the occasional 'splash' he brings on special teams is reliable and knowledgeable about all the special teams units," Chris Adamski of TribLive wrote. "That's why he’ll have a job again in 2022."
Unless Joseph is too good to ignore in camp, he'll likely be the odd safety out. He's set to carry a cap hit of $895,000 with none of it guaranteed. The Steelers don't necessarily need the savings—they have $13.8 million in space remaining—but they also have no reason to pay a safety who may not see the field.
Justin Layne, CB
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Justin Layne joined the Steelers as a third-round pick out of Michigan State in 2019. Through three seasons, the 24-year-old has made little impact on the Pittsburgh defense, however.
Layne has appeared in 43 games but has primarily served as a special-teamer. When given a substantial opportunity on defense, he has been a liability too. In 2020, Layne saw 117 defensive snaps. In coverage that season, he allowed an opposing passer rating of 138.5.
This past season, Layne played just 28 defensive snaps and saw 245 on special teams.
Set to carry a cap hit of $1.2 million in 2022, Layne will have to show that he's ready for a more prominent defensive role. If he can, he'll be an asset because cornerback depth is always valuable.
If he can't, however, the Steelers have other options. Joe Haden remains unsigned, but Pittsburgh added Levi Wallace to start alongside Cameron Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon. They also have James Pierre, Tre Norwood, Arthur Maulet and undrafted rookie Chris Steele.
Pierre (414), Norwood (388) and Maulet (379) all played significantly more snaps than Layne last season. As an undrafted rookie, Steele will be a cheaper option as a special-teamer and depth piece.
In short, Layne will have to show more in camp than he has during his first three years to justify an opportunity in 2022.
Anthony Miller, WR
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The Steelers claimed wideout Miles Boykin off waivers from the rival Baltimore Ravens this April. Boykin has flashed potential—he had 266 yards and four touchdowns in 2020—and he has experience playing in the AFC North. If he sticks, he could provide value as a complementary piece.
However, Boykin will have to show a lot in camp to make the final 53. While Pittsburgh parted with James Washington and JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason, they added Calvin Austin III and George Pickens in the draft.
Between Austin, Pickens, Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson, the Steelers should have four locks in their receiver room. The Steelers also have the likes of Steven Sims, Miles Boykin and special-teams ace Gunner Olszewski—the latter being a first-team All-Pro in 2020 and is another potential lock.
Anthony Miller isn't a lock but will have a good chance of sticking if he can rekindle the chemistry he shared with Mitch Trubisky when both were with the Chicago Bears.
The other issue working against Boykin is his contract. The 25-year-old is set to carry a cap hit of $2.8 million this season and has only $214,232 in dead money on his deal. If Boykin is only going to be a back-end depth piece at best, Pittsburgh has little reason to keep him at that price point.
*Cap and contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.
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