Predicting Pittsburgh Steelers' 1st Wave of Roster Cuts

The Pittsburgh Steelers do not have to reduce their roster to 75 players until September 1, but that doesn't mean players won't come and go between now and then. As training camp continues on, roster needs will surface, and players who have underperformed will have to be replaced.

The Steelers have already made roster moves since the start of camp last week, including trading for cornerback Brandon Boykin, placing running back Ross Scheuerman on the waived-injured list and releasing tight end Michael Egnew. But here are five more players who could see their time with the Steelers come to an end during this summer's camp.

TE Cameron Clear

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

During the Steelers' OTAs earlier in the spring, offensive coordinator Todd Haley had high praise for undrafted rookie tight end Cameron Clear. But now that the pads have come on in the summertime heat, it's looking like Clear is overwhelmed.

Clear is raw, which is understandable, given that he caught only nine passes for 76 yards and one touchdown in two years at Texas A&M. But that's not what could see him cut from the Steelers roster this summer—it's his conditioning.

As Steelers Depot's Jon Ledyard has pointed out multiple times over the past week, Clear "appears gassed constantly, always standing with his hands on his hips or taking a knee regardless of what the rest of his position group is engaged in."

Poor route-running, concentration drops and poor conditioning is not a good combination for a tight end trying to make an NFL roster.

C Reese Dismukes

Uncredited/Associated Press

Backup center Reese Dismukes had snap issues dating back to college, but they haven't been ironed out yet. In training camp practices last week, he had six botched snaps while working with quarterback Tajh Boyd. And given that snapping the ball is one of the center position's most basic demands, his inability to do so consistently will send him packing.

Dismukes may be given more time to improve his fundamentals, but snapping the football just seems to be one of his inherent weaknesses. The Steelers will have no use for that on their 53-man roster.

LB Jordan Zumwalt

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Linebacker Jordan Zumwalt came into the Steelers' 2015 training camp a year behind in his development after missing his entire rookie year with a groin injury. And he's yet to really make a positive impression.

With the Steelers boasting improved depth at the linebacker position, Zumwalt's services may not be needed for long.

Steelers Depot's Alex Kozora has noted multiple instances of Zumwalt being beaten in coverage drills, with catches made against him by the likes of fullback Roosevelt Nix and running back DeAngelo Williams.

His colleague, Jon Ledyard, pointed out, "Every practice it becomes more and more apparent that Zumwalt simply does not have the athleticism to play at this level. He's very smart and works hard, but he's simply too light to overwhelm blockers at the point-of-attack, and too slow to keep up with receivers in the open field."

If he cannot stop offensive linemen or work in coverage, then there's simply no use for him on the Steelers defense.

QB Landry Jones

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

With second-string quarterback Bruce Gradkowski on the physically unable to perform list while he rehabs his injured right shoulder, backups Landry Jones and Tajh Boyd have been given more reps than they otherwise would have.

But Jones, who is in his third summer with the Steelers, hasn't shown much development and looks to be the Steelers' No. 4 quarterback when Gradkowski returns—meaning he no longer has a long-term home on the roster.

Jones has struggled through much of camp, leading to Steelers Depot's Jon Ledyard to remark that it's "[t]ough to imagine he'll make this team unless there is marked improvement during preseason games."

Jones did show some improvement in Friday night's practice, enough for Ledyard to note, "Jones had his best practice as a Steeler." However, Ledyard added that the good parts were just "[s]livers of light in a dark tunnel."

Jones has had ample time to earn a spot on the Steelers roster, but he has done little to make a case for himself. He'll likely be passed over for Boyd unless something clicks in the team's preseason games.

P Jordan Berry

Uncredited/Associated Press

This summer, a battle of the punters will be waged during the Steelers' training camp and five preseason games, with incumbent Brad Wing trying to beat out fellow Australian Jordan Berry. 

Last year, only three punters had a lower per-punt average than Wing's 43.7 yards. Berry, meanwhile, averaged 43.4 yards per punt in his senior season at Eastern Kentucky in 2013, and 41.6 yards over the course of his collegiate career.

Steelers Depot's Jon Ledyard noted that Berry had two poor punts in Sunday's practice, and though he bounced back later in the day, it was noted that both Berry and Wing have been shaky throughout camp thus far.

But his colleague Alex Kozora doesn't expect this battle to be resolved until the team's preseason games get under way next week. And it's true—it's almost impossible to evaluate a punter without seeing how he reacts in live-game situations.

Until then, the edge goes to Wing simply because he has the experience advantage. This could change, though, depending on how Berry handles the pressure of punting when the tackling is live and the opponents are hungry.