Predicting the Winner of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Biggest Training Camp Battles

It's finally that time of year—the Pittsburgh Steelers kick off their 2015 training camp later this week. This means that the team's biggest training camp battles will continue in earnest as the Steelers prepare to hone their roster down to 53 players by September.

Last week, we looked at the Steelers' four biggest training camp battles of the summer. Now, let's make a few early predictions about the players who will win them.

Cornerback

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There's little chance of Steelers cornerback William Gay relinquishing his starter status this year given that he was the team's top coverage corner in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus. The question is what happens to the team's other cornerbacks.

Cortez Allen was a starter alongside Gay to start the 2014 season but was soon demoted all the way to the bench in favor of Brice McCain and Antwon Blake. McCain is gone now, but Blake is not. Blake will be Allen's biggest obstacle to starting this year.

But he won't be the only one. Rookies Senquez Golson and Doran Grant will also be trying to earn playing time, as will Kevin Fogg and B.W. Webb. Right now, it looks like Golson may be the Steelers' best bet in the nickel despite Allen's veteran advantage—or at least that's how TheMMQB.com's Peter King sees it. Allen will remain on the Steelers roster, but starting may not be in the cards.

Winners: William Gay, Antwon Blake, Senquez Golson, Cortez Allen, Doran Grant, Kevin Fogg

Punter

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The Steelers are not 100 percent comfortable at the punter position, or at least that seems to be the indication given that they have two on the roster at present—incumbent Brad Wing and the untested Jordan Berry. 

Last year, Wing's 43.7 yards-per-punt average was the fourth-lowest average in the NFL. But Berry averaged just 43.4 yards while punting in college for Western Kentucky.

Berry could easily improve on that average through the Steelers' five preseason games. But for now, the advantage remains Wing's with training camp just days away. This could change, but right now Wing gets the nod.

Winner: Brad Wing

Outside Linebacker

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The outside linebacker position for the Steelers is set, for the most part. In some combination, their starters this year will be James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Arthur Moats and rookie Bud Dupree. It's just a matter of figuring out the rotation during training camp and the preseason.

But that means that players such as Howard Jones, Shawn Lemon and Terence Garvin will need to stand out this summer not just to make the 53-man roster, but to steal a few snaps from the four presumed to be atop the depth chart.

Howard Jones, Lemon and Garvin, though, could find openings for themselves if Dupree struggles once the pads come on or if Jarvis Jones suffers a setback with the wrist he injured last year and admitted wasn't fully healed in late May, per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (h/t Fox Sports).

But for now, it's hard to predict winners of this battle outside of the Steelers' Big Four.

Winners: Jarvis Jones, Bud Dupree, James Harrison, Arthur Moats

Third-String Quarterback

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For the last two years, Landry Jones has served as the Steelers' No. 3 quarterback behind starter Ben Roethlisberger and his backup, Bruce Gradkowski. And he hasn't been needed—he's yet to dress for a regular-season game. He may not ever get that chance in Pittsburgh given the competition he's facing for his job this summer.

Battling it out with Jones is Tajh Boyd, a sixth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2014. The duo will also see competition from quarterbacks-slash-wide-receivers Devin Gardner and Tyler Murphy, and their ability to play two positions might make either Gardner or Murphy too valuable for the Steelers to walk away from.

But Gardner and Murphy likely need a bit more polish at both positions before they can confidently be named the Steelers' third-string quarterback. It seems more possible that Boyd is the one to push Jones off the roster. Boyd is simply more athletic and has a better track record in the preseason than Jones in the little action he has seen.

Jones has been given ample time to develop, and he hasn't yet unseated Gradkowski. So until he shows he has made progress as a passer, it seems like Boyd will be the one to win this battle.

Winner: Tajh Boyd