Steelers football is finally back. Tonight, we get to see a true Kenny Pickett lead team take the field. It been a long 215 days since the last time the Steelers played.
This is finally a chance to see Joey Porter Jr wear the Black n’ Gold just like his dad did for years. It also has been a long time coming for 2nd year wide receiver Calvin Austin III to make his debut.
It’s that time of the year again. Steelers Training Camp is officially 6 days away from being in full swing. This has been a big offseason for the defense. There are so many new players for the unit.
This is going to be a big camp for the defense to start their rebuilding to be the top defense in the league again. Not only that, but to also help bring another Lombardi to Pittsburgh.
Fans are going to be able to finally see Patrick Peterson and Joey Porter Jr take the field in the black n’ gold for the first time.
With the Steelers first practice of training camp taking place in six days. I thought who will be the starting offensive that day. This is going to be first time Kenny Pickett is going to be taking the field at camp as the starting quarterback.
This is going to be a big camp for the offense, they now have a full-time starting quarterback and some key additions to the offensive line. So now is the time to build the chemistry of the whole unit.
The Steelers have had an excellent offseason so far, adding depth and new starters. Although they could add another player or two for added positional battles.
A few places that could use another player are Running Back, Interior Offensive Line, and Inside Linebacker. They have made big strides in filling these positions so far, but it can never hurt to a little extra depth.
This is a big season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, after a 9-8 season in 2022 with rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett becoming the clear-cut starter. And losing star OLB TJ Watt for a good part of the season. It got me thinking about who the important players are for the 2023 season.
I kept going back and forth between TJ Watt and Kenny Pickett, but after seeing what having TJ Watt on the field means, and how it impacts if it’s going to be a win or loss. TJ Watt has to be the most important player on this team.
With the Steelers starting Training Camp in eighteen days, I thought it would be a good time to look at the players that are more in likely going to be on the roster bubble.
This year with how deep the defensive side of the ball is. It’s no doubt that there are going to be more from that side on the bubble, especially with the defensive backs.
Let’s get into the players.
Offense
Mason Rudolph, QB Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Anthony McFarland Jr, RB Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Myles Boykin, WR Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Cody White, WR Cap Savings: $870,000 Dead Money: $0
Kendrick Green, G Cap Savings: $876,750 Dead Money: $453, 004
William Dunkle, G/T Cap Savings: $750,000 Dead Money: $0
Defense
Jonathan Marshall, DT Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Isaiahh Loudermilk, DE Cap Savings: $859,928 Dead Money: $160,144
Montravius Adams, NT Cap Savings: $2,500,000 Dead Money: $732,500
Quincy Roche, OLB Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Duke Dawson, CB Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Chris Wilcox, CB Cap Savings: $750,000 Dead Money: $0
Tre Norwood, FS Cap Savings: $916,390 Dead Money: $47,220
Elijah Riley, SS Cap Savings: $1,010,000 Dead Money: $0
Kenny Robinson, SS Cap Savings: $940,000 Dead Money: $0
Special Teams
Pressley Harvin III, P Cap Savings: $919,817 Dead Money: $40,366
The Steelers announced their undrafted free agent signings. They had a very strong draft class and are continuing that with adding the last of their needs with these signings.
Among these signings are QB Tanner Morgan (Minnesota) and C Trevor Downing (Iowa State).
It’s that time of the year again. The NFL Draft is only five days away. At this point you probably have mock draft burnout, and you’re struggling with who you think will be the pick at 17 or do they trade up or down.
General Manager Omar Khan and his staff has set this team up all off season to go best player available at each pick. All the moves he’s made with the reserve future signings, free agency, and trades.
Let’s take a look at the recap of the offseason up to this point.
Reserve Future Signings
Ja’Marcus Bradley, WR
Tae Crowder, LB
Duke Dawson, CB
William Dunkle, G
Emeke Egblue, OLB
Dez Fitzpatrick, WR
Madre Harper, CB
Jason Huntley, RB
Ryan McCollum, G/C
Anthony McFarland Jr, RB
Scott Nelson, SS
Chappelle Russell, OLB
Kenny Robinson, SS
Quincy Roche, OLB
Master Teague, RB
Cody White, WR
Rodney Williams, TE
Renell Wren, DT
Free Agent Re-Signings
Zach Gentry, TE 1-Year Contract
Damonte Kazee, S 2-Year Contract
Anthony Miller, WR 1-Year Contract
Larry Ogunjobi, DE 3-Year Contract
James Pierre, CB 1-Year Contract
Elijah Riley, S 1-Year Contract
Christian Kuntz, LS 1-Year Contract
Free Agent Losses
Devin Bush, LB (Seahawks)
Malik Reed, OLB (Dolphins)
Robert Spillane, LB (Raiders)
Cameron Sutton, CB (Lions)
JC Hassenauer, C (Giants)
Steven Sims, WR (Texans)
Terrell Edmunds, S (Eagles)
Free Agent Signings
Nate Herbig, G 2-Year Contract
Patrick Peterson, CB 2-Year Contract
Cole Holcomb, LB 3-Year Contract
Elandon Roberts, LB 2-Year Contract
Isaac Seumalo, G 3-Year Contract
Tanner Muse, LB 1-Year Contract
Keanu Neal, S 2-Year Contract
Le’Raven Clark, OT 1-Year Contract
Breiden Fehoko, DE 1-Year Contract
Armon Watts, DE 1-Year Contract
Claimed off of waivers
Braden Mann, P (Jets)
Trades Received WR Allan Robinson and the 251st from the Rams for the 234th pick.
Pro Day Dinners
Trenton Simpson, LB Clemson
Myles Murphy, Edge Clemson
Mazi Smith, DL Michigan
Will McDonald IV, Edge Iowa State
Dawand Jones, OT Ohio State
Parris Johnson Jr, OT Ohio State
Luke Wypler, C Ohio State
Zach Harrison, DE Ohio State
Riley Moss, CB Iowa
Pre-Draft Visits Offense
Clayton Tune, QB Houston
Jaran Hall, QB BYU
Jonathan Mingo, WR Ole Miss
Charlie Jones, WR Purdue
Jayden Reed, WR Michigan State
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR West Virginia (Local)
Cedric Tillman, WR Tennessee
Darnell Washington, TE Georgia
Darnell Wright, OT Tennessee
Broderick Jones, OT Georgia
Anton Harrison, OT Oklahoma
O’Cyrus Torrence, G Florida
Steve Availa, G TCU
Chadler Zavala, G NC State
John Michael-Schmitz, C Minnesota
Cody Mauch, OL North Dakota State
Pre-Draft Visits Defense
Siaki Ika, DL Baylor
Keion White, DL Georgia Tech
Keeanu Neal, DL Wisconsin
Karl Brooks, DL Bowling Green
Bryan Bresee, DL Clemson
Tuli Tuipulotu, Edge USC
Robert Beal, Edge Georgia
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Edge Kansas State
Tyrique Stevenson, CB Miami (FL)
Julius Brents, CB Kansas State
Deonte Banks, CB Maryland
Joey Porter Jr, CB Penn State (Local)
Darius Rush, CB South Carolina
Christian Gonzalez, CB Oregon
Daniel Scott, S California
Tanner Ingle, S NC State
I know I can’t wait the see what the Khan artist is going to pull off during the draft. Let me know who you think will be the pick at 17.
Each year we kind of get a clue of what position the Steelers are leaning to and what players they would like to draft based on the interviews at the combine.
Here is the list of the players they interviewed them this year:
Quarterbacks Clayton Tune, Houston (informal)
Running Backs (all informal) Chase Brown, Illinois Travis Dye, USC Tank Bigsby, Auburn Keeton Mitchell, East Carolina Cam Peoples, Appalachian State Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State Kendre Miller, TCU Chris Rodriquez, Kentucky Roschon Johnson, Texas
Wide Receivers Jaxon Smith-Ngiba, Ohio State Zay Flowers, Boston College (informal) Jordan Addison, USC Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee Parker Washington, Penn State
Tight Ends Michael Mayer, Notre Dame Sam Laporta, Iowa Brenton Strange, Penn State (met with TE coach Alfredo Roberts) Zach Kuntz, Old Dominion Blake Whitehouse, Wake Forest
Offensive Line Andrew Vorhees, USC (informal) Dalton Wagner, Arkansas (informal) Carter Warren, Pittsburgh (informal) Tyler Steen, Alabama (informal) Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin Peter Skoronski, Northwestern Waya Morris, Oklahoma (informal) Jordan McFadden, Clemson (informal) Olu Oluwatimi, Michigan (informal) Brett Laing, Minnesota-Duluth (informal) Ricky Stormberg, Arkansas Broderick Jones, Georgia Paris Johnson, Ohio State Henry Bainivalu, Washington (informal) TJ Bass, Oregon (informal) Ryan Hayes, Michigan (informal) Anton Harrison, Oklahoma (informal) Jake Andrews, Troy (informal) Nick Broker, Ole Miss (informal) John Oluhwu, Boise State (informal) Blake Freeland, BYU (informal)
Defensive Line Mike Morris, Michigan (informal) Bryan Bresee, Clemson Byron Young, Alabama Gervon Dexter, Florida Keondre Coburn, Texas Cameron Young, Mississippi State
Edge Rushers Nick Herbig, Wisconsin Lukas Van Ness, Iowa Lonnie Phelps, Kansas Derick Hall, Auburn (informal) Nolan Smith, Georgia Dylan Horton, TCU (informal) Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State Tyrus Wheaton, Mississippi State
Off-Ball Linebackers Noah Sewell, Oregon Shaka Heyward, Duke DeMarvion Overshown, Texas Henry To’o-To’o, Alabama Ivan Pace, Cincinnati Drew Sanders, Arkansas Trenton Simpson, Clemson
Cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State Clark Phillips, Utah Jaylon Jones, Texas A&M Joey Porter, Jr., Penn State Cam Smith, South Carolina Eli Ricks, Alabama (informal) Garrett Williams, Syracuse (informal) Kalee Ringo, Georgia Brian Branch, Alabama Darius Rush, South Carolina (informal) Deonte Banks, Maryland
Safeties JL Skinner, Boise State (informal) Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M (informal) Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State Jordan Battle, Alabama Jammie Robinson, Florida State Troy Dean, Florida (informal) Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame, (informal)
The Browns have added another player to their offseason roster with signing former Rutgers DT Michael Dwumfour to a reserve futures contract. Dwumfour is now joining at defensive linemen room that includes Myles Garrett, Perrion Winfrey, Isaiah Tomas, and Tommy Togiai.
Here is the complete list of their reserve futures signings.
