Pittsburgh Steelers: Breaking Down Final Roster and Week 1 Starters
The Pittsburgh Steelers reduced their roster to 53 players on Saturday, and while the roster's makeup is set to see a number of changes over the coming days (and weeks), we now have some idea of what this team is going to look like, personnel-wise, this season.
Based on where the roster stands now, here is how each position looks for the Steelers, both in terms of depth and the Week 1 projected starters.
Quarterback
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Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick, Landry Jones
Starter: Ben Roethlisberger
There hasn't been and won't be a quarterback controversy in Pittsburgh—Ben Roethlisberger remains the Steelers' starter and will continue to do so for as long as he's healthy.
Backing him up is Michael Vick, acquired after long-time No. 2 quarterback Bruce Gradkowski landed on injured reserve. Landry Jones will continue to serve as the team's third-stringer and, like in the previous two years, likely won't dress on game days.
Running Back
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Running Backs: Le'Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams, Jordan Todman, Dri Archer, Roosevelt Nix (FB), Will Johnson (FB)
Starter: DeAngelo Williams
Because running back Le'Veon Bell is suspended for the first two games of the season, DeAngelo Williams gets bumped up to starter for Weeks 1 and 2. After that, Bell will take over and Williams will serve as his primary backup.
For at least Weeks 1 and 2, Jordan Todman, signed by the Steelers on Sunday, per Steelers.com, will be the team's No. 2 back. He will serve as the third-stringer alongside Dri Archer and could in fact outplay Archer as the season wears on. The two are similar backs, with both on the smaller, lighter side and capable of catching passes as well.
The Steelers are also currently carrying two fullbacks on the roster, Roosevelt Nix and Will Johnson. Nix could see offensive snaps this year, but he's also a special teams asset. But Nix and Johnson can serve as run-blocking assistance as well as outlet receivers on occasion.
Wide Receiver
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Wide Receiver: Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Martavis Bryant, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Sammie Coates, Tyler Murphy, Dri Archer
Starters: Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Darrius Heyward-Bey
Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton are firmly entrenched as the Steelers' two starting wide receivers for Week 1, and Martavis Bryant would have joined them, if not for his four-game suspension that opens the season. Until Bryant is back, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Sammie Coates will be primarily tasked with picking up the slack.
Because it is so early in the season and Coates is a rookie, expect veteran Darrius Heyward-Bey to get the majority of the playing time, even though Heyward-Bey is more valuable to the Steelers on special teams and caught only three passes last year. Heyward-Bey simply has the experience advantage over Coates, though that doesn't mean Coates won't be involved early in the season.
Former Boston College quarterback Tyler Murphy rounds out the receiving corps, along with Dri Archer who is listed as a receiver-running back hybrid on Pittsburgh's roster.
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Tight End
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Tight End: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, Jesse James
Starter: Heath Miller
Heath Miller will again reprise his role as the Steelers' do-it-all tight end in 2015. Matt Spaeth, meanwhile, will serve primarily as a blocker in the run game, while rookie Jesse James will likely be slowly worked in. Eventually, James could replace Miller, but for now the starting job belongs to the veteran, not just in Week 1 but throughout the season.
Offensive Line
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Offensive Line: Marcus Gilbert, Kelvin Beachum, Ramon Foster, David DeCastro, Cody Wallace, Chris Hubbard, Alejandro Villanueva, Doug Legursky, Maurkice Pouncey (injured reserve-recall)
Starters: Kelvin Beachum, David DeCastro, Cody Wallace, Ramon Foster, Marcus Gilbert
Pittsburgh's Week 1 starting offensive line isn't too different from how it looked last year, with David DeCastro and Ramon Foster serving as guards and Kelvin Beachum and Marcus Gilbert serving as tackles. The only difference is at center, with the Steelers putting Maurkice Pouncey on the injured reserve-recall list on Sunday, per Steelers.com.
Cody Wallace will be stepping in as the starting center while Pouncey is out. Backing up the guards and center are Chris Hubbard and Doug Legurksy, the latter re-signed on Sunday, and the team's sole reserve tackle on the 53-man roster is Alejandro Villanueva. The Steelers also have offensive linemen Reese Dismukes and Antonio Johnson on the practice squad, per Steelers.com.
Defensive Line
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Defensive Line: Stephon Tuitt, Cameron Heyward, Steve McLendon, Daniel McCullers, Cam Thomas, L.T. Walton, Caushaud Lyons
Starters: Stephon Tuitt, Steve McLendon, Cameron Heyward
Pittsburgh's starting defensive line is set for Week 1, with Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward handling defensive end duties and Steve McLendon serving as the nose tackle.
The only thing that could change this is if Tuitt is not yet healed up enough from his summertime ankle sprain to play on Thursday night. Head coach Mike Tomlin said that Tuitt is "day-to-day," but "it's looking really good right now," on Sunday (via Mike Prisuta). If he cannot play, Cam Thomas will handle his job.
Daniel McCullers will be the team's primary backup at defensive tackle. Rookie L.T. Walton and Sunday signee Caushaud Lyons will serve, along Thomas as defensive end depth. End Ethan Hemer is also currently on the practice squad.
Linebacker
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Linebacker: Arthur Moats, James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Bud Dupree, Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier, Sean Spence, Vince Williams, Terence Garvin
Starters: Arthur Moats (OLB), Jarvis Jones (OLB), Lawrence Timmons (ILB), Ryan Shazier (ILB)
Though the Steelers drafted outside linebacker Bud Dupree in Round 1 of the 2015 draft, he will not be a starter in Week 1. Neither will veteran James Harrison. Instead, the Steelers' starters at outside linebacker will be Arthur Moats and Jarvis Jones, the latter looking to bounce back by a 2014 marred by a wrist injury.
At inside linebacker, 2014 Round 1 pick Ryan Shazier will join veteran Lawrence Timmons in the starting lineup. Timmons had spent the preseason sidelined with a turf-toe injury, but head coach Mike Tomlin said Sunday he "will be ready" for Thursday night's game.
Along with Dupree and Harrison as outside linebacker depth is Terence Garvin, a key special teams contributor. The interior linebacker depth will belong to Sean Spence and Vince Williams. Outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo, the team's sixth-round 2015 draft pick, was placed on the practice squad on Monday.
Cornerback
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Cornerback: William Gay, Cortez Allen, Brandon Boykin, Antwon Blake, Ross Cockrell
Starters: William Gay, Cortez Allen, Antwon Blake/Brandon Boykin
For Week 1, the Steelers will stick with William Gay and Cortez Allen as their two primary cornerbacks on the outside. But the two will be shifted around a lot, both inside and out, and be joined regularly by both Antwon Blake and Brandon Boykin.
Boykin is best suited for the slot, but Blake can also work in that area, as can Gay and Allen. Expect the Steelers to experiment with a number of combinations, even in Week 1, in order to get the most out of a secondary that struggled in 2014.
When Boykin or Blake are not on the field, they will serve as depth, alongside Ross Cockrell, whom the Steelers signed on Saturday. 2015 Round 2 draft pick Senquez Golson is on injured reserve, and fourth-round corner Doran Grant was placed on Pittsburgh's practice squad on Monday.
Safety
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Safety: Mike Mitchell, Will Allen, Shamarko Thomas, Robert Golden, Ross Ventrone
Starters: Mike Mitchell, Will Allen
Can Mike Mitchell rebound from a shaky 2014 season? Can Shamarko Thomas be a successful NFL starter? We don't know the answer to the former just yet, but the latter has at least been answered as far as Week 1 and the New England Patriots are concerned—Thomas won't be starting.
Thomas told F. Dale Lolley of the Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter on Sunday that Will Allen will be the team's starting strong safety, saying directly, "The starters are Mike Mitchell and Will Allen. I'm just going to do my job and work." Lolley reported that Allen's familiarity with the defense and the new-look Cover 2 coverage scheme as the reason for the switch on the depth chart.
Thomas will begin the year as a backup to Mitchell and Allen. Robert Golden, too, can step in at the position as well as play special teams. Ross Ventrone, meanwhile, serves almost exclusively on special teams but can play safety if the situation warrants it.
Special Teams
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Special Teams: Josh Scobee (K), Jordan Berry (P), Greg Warren (LS), Antonio Brown (PR), Dri Archer (KR/PR), Markus Wheaton (KR/PR)
Starters: Josh Scobee (K), Jordan Berry (P), Greg Warren (LS), Antonio Brown (PR), Dri Archer (KR)
Jordan Berry beat out Brad Wing for the Steelers' punter job, with Wing then shipped in trade to the New York Giants. Josh Scobee, meanwhile, is the Steelers' third kicker of 2015, signed after both Shaun Suisham and Garrett Hartley suffered season-ending injuries during the preseason. Greg Warren remains the long snapper.
Antonio Brown appears poised to reprise his role as Pittsburgh's primary punt returner, with Dri Archer and Markus Wheaton his backup. Archer will be the team's kick returner, with Wheaton also capable of doing so.
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