Pittsburgh Steelers' Biggest Preseason Disappointments so Far

The NFL preseason is a time for comprehensive roster evaluation with the goal of assembling a combination of players that can win games. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, some players have looked better than others.

There have also been a few disappointing players—those who were expected to perform far better than they have thus far. Here are five Steelers who haven't lived up to expectations this summer.

WR/KR/RB Dri Archer

Don Wright/Associated Press

Since drafting Dri Archer in 2014, the Steelers have tried to find ways to get the football into his hands. But they haven't been successful just yet, as Archer rushed 10 times for 40 yards last year, catching seven passes for 23 yards and returning nine kickoffs for 161 yards.

Archer's size is a limitation, and the Steelers offense is deep at both receiver and running back. So if Archer is going to distinguish himself, it will have to be as a returner this summer. And, so far, he hasn't delivered.

In the Steelers' first three preseason games, he's returned three kickoffs for a total of 79 yards. The two punts he's fielded went a total of four yards. He also rushed just eight times for 35 yards in those three games and caught seven passes for 41 yards.

Though Archer looks likely to stick on the roster and serve as the team's kick returner this year, if he cannot make something of those opportunities, he won't be with the Steelers for much longer than that. If he's so fast and dynamic, there has to be a way for him to make an on-field impact. But his limitations have resulted in little production and a lot of disappointment.

S Gerod Holliman

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The Steelers drafted safety Gerod Holliman in the seventh round this year, meaning if he doesn't make the team's final roster, it won't be a big surprise. But the hope was that the ball-hawking Holliman could finally learn to tackle and eventually become a complete safety who could help his team on every down.

So far, that's not the case. Tackling remains an issue, and his basic fundamentals haven't progressed to the point that he can beat out the likes of Jordan Dangerfield or Ian Wild for playing time in the preseason.

The Steelers aren't in good shape when it comes to safety depth, with the position dealing with multiple injuries over the course of the summer. But that still hasn't been enough to get Holliman on the field more often.

According to Pro Football Focus, Holliman played only 16 snaps in the team's second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and that dropped to an even more concerning seven snaps against the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers have the opportunity to see more out of Holliman but are choosing not to. That's not a good sign for the rookie.

CB Antwon Blake

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Last year, cornerback Antwon Blake worked his way into the Steelers defense as a starter, partially because of injuries suffered by the now-retired Ike Taylor and the poor play of Cortez Allen. But he hasn't regained control of his starting role this summer. Allen is back on the field alongside starters William Gay and Brandon Boykin.

Further, Blake is ceding preseason snaps to once-marginal cornerbacks Kevin Fogg and B.W. Webb. Through three preseason games, Pro Football Focus has Fogg with 86 snaps, Webb with 81 and Blake with 87. The good news is that it's an improvement from the previous two games. And he did get the start over Boykin.

It's not likely that Blake's roster spot is in jeopardy, but it is telling that the Steelers opted to make the trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for Boykin rather than be 100 confident in Blake. He looks set to return to a reserve role this year, which is certainly not what he had in mind.

OL Chris Hubbard

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Offensive lineman Chris Hubbard has been with the Steelers since 2013. Though he was only active for one game in 2014, Hubbard is now in his third year in Pittsburgh's offense, but he still looks like a lost rookie.

Hubbard was one of the Steelers' worst-performing offensive linemen in the team's first two preseason games, particularly as a run blocker. As Steelers Depot's Jon Ledyard pointed out last week, Hubbard is "too slow to the second level ... and he's consistently too high at the point of attack." He added that he "can't sustain blocks."

Ledyard's colleague, Matthew Marczi, also notes that Hubbard has "a plain and simple lack of functional strength." Hubbard's familiarity with the Steelers' system does not help him, because he plainly cannot handle the duties of an NFL-level guard. He's Pro Football Focus' worst-ranked Steelers player through three preseason games, and it's not even close.

Hubbard needs to clean up his technique quickly or he's a guaranteed roster casualty.

TE Cameron Clear

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley, speaking to Steelers Nation Radio in June, gave out-of-nowhere praise to undrafted rookie tight end Cameron Clear. Haley, via Steelers Depot, said of Clear:

"

It's like this free agent Cameron Clear that we have. I mean, he's a big, good-looking body and had about six catches last year and wasn't on the field. So it's just what you value and what you think gives you the best chance to win, and I think that as long as we're all here, we'll value a big tight end that can catch and block.

"

But once the pads came on during training camp and the preseason, Clear wilted. Injuries were part of the problem. However, Clear didn't take advantage of the opportunities afforded him by the team waiving tight ends Rob Blanchflower and Michael Egnew.

He played only 19 preseason snaps in the team's first preseason game, according to Pro Football Focus, tallying a negative grade as a pass protector and being targeted once for a four-yard gain. The Steelers are thin at tight end, but that hasn't helped Clear improve as a player, and he hasn't been seen in the preseason since the Hall of Fame Game. So much for Haley's early optimism.