Pittsburgh Steelers: 4 Most Crucial Training-Camp Position Battles to Watch

The Pittsburgh Steelers begin training camp in less than 10 days, which means football season is not far behind. But between the start of camp and when the Steelers take the field in Week 1 against the New England Patriots comes a valuable time of roster evaluation that will ultimately determine who makes the team—and who is atop the depth chart.

That can often take the form of positional battles, especially when starting jobs remain up for grabs. Here are the four biggest Steelers training-camp battles to watch this year.

Cornerback

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It's clear William Gay will be among the Steelers' starting cornerbacks in one capacity or another, but after that, things get murky. Cortez Allen will get another shot to regain the starting status he lost a year ago, but as defensive backs coach Carnell Lake said in June, "I can't play for him." And Antwon Blake remains in the mix given that he earned every snap he played in 2014.

But the Steelers have other cornerbacks to consider, namely rookies Senquez Golson and Doran Grant. Lake has already said he is not opposed to rookies starting in the secondary this year if their talent warrants it. Plus, Kevin Fogg has been a springtime standout, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly.

Training camp and the preseason are all about properly identifying the players who give the Steelers the best chance to win this year. Nothing is guaranteed, not even to incumbents such as Blake or veterans such as Allen. Straightening out the cornerback position will result in an epic battle in Latrobe this summer.

Punter

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It looks like the Steelers are at least considering making a change at punter given that Jordan Berry now joins incumbent Brad Wing at the position. This battle could rage through all five of the Steelers' preseason games this year, as a punter's effectiveness can only be truly evaluated in live-game situations.

Only three NFL punters recorded lower yards-per-punt averages than Wing's 43.7 yards last year. But Berry averaged just 43.4 yards as a collegiate punter for Eastern Kentucky. Still, if he can out-punt Wing by even a yard this summer, he could earn the job. Field position is that important. 

Punter may not be the most exciting position on the team, but the Steelers will have a bona fide battle at the position this summer.

Outside Linebacker

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The Steelers' four main outside linebackers—James Harrison, Bud Dupree, Arthur Moats and Jarvis Jones—will all see extensive playing time this year if they stay healthy. But when they will play and how much is up in the air. While it's not a training-camp battle in the traditional sense, this summer will be spent figuring out how the Steelers will rotate the four players. Standing out will be key.

Harrison, at age 37, knows the drill. Moats is a veteran, but he's not a terribly experienced one. Jones is in his third season, with most of the second taken away by a wrist injury. And Dupree is a rookie. Though Dupree has already earned himself some minicamp and OTA playing time with the first-team defense, things could change drastically once the pads are on and preseason games begin.

Harrison isn't going to cede snaps to any player without a fight. Moats is finally getting his chance to be a starter in his sixth season in the league. Jones needs to prove he's not a bust, while Dupree wants to prove he can hang with the veterans. This should be an interesting position to watch during training camp.

Third-String Quarterback

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For two years now, Landry Jones has served as the Steelers' third-string quarterback. He has never dressed for a game in the regular season. He also hasn't thrown a preseason touchdown since 2013 and has fumbled four times in six preseason games.

He'll face stiff competition this summer from Tajh Boyd. And hybrid quarterbacks-wide receivers Tyler Murphy and Devin Gardner cannot be ruled out as dark-horse candidates for the No. 3 job. Jones has competition nipping at his heels, and he will have to show progress in the preseason to keep his standing on the roster.

With so many quarterbacks—or quarterback-capable players—on Pittsburgh's roster right now, the third-string quarterback battle will be a stiff one. It may be inconsequential—none of these players seems likely to beat out Bruce Gradkowski for the No. 2 spot—but it's a matter of maintaining a career in the NFL.