Bryan: 2025 Steelers 53-Man Roster Prediction: Pre-Coaching Camp Version
With the Pittsburgh Steelers reporting to the Saint Vincent Faculty in Latrobe on Wednesday for the beginning of their 2025 coaching camp, it’s time for me to lastly throw out my preliminary 53-man roster prediction for the staff.
As standard, I’ve included some evaluation beneath every place group. I invite you to submit your individual variations within the feedback under together with your individual 53-man roster prediction.
My subsequent stab on the Steelers’ 53-man roster will possible be posted proper earlier than the staff’s first preseason recreation. After that, one will come after each preseason recreation.
Offense (24)
Quarterbacks (3) – Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard
Evaluation: Barring any accidents to Rodgers, Rudolph, or Howard this summer season, these ought to be the three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster come Week 1. Which means that Skylar Thompson ought to be the odd quarterback out. I actually need to see Howard mess around 100 snaps throughout the preseason.
Working Backs (3) – Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell
Evaluation: Warren ought to start the 2025 common season because the starter with Johnson, a third-round draft decide this, and Gainwell, a flexible free agent addition, each poised to see some motion within the backfield at the start of the season. The Steelers nonetheless have Cordarrelle Patterson on the roster, however barring an damage, I believe he’ll wind up being one-and-done in Pittsburgh. Particularly if the Steelers can choose a special participant to return kickoffs by Week 1.
Large Receivers (5) – DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Robert Woods, Ben Skowronek
Evaluation: When you get previous my high three of Metcalf, Austin, and Wilson, there’s definitely some dialogue available. Does Woods have something left as an offensive participant at his age? Can one other broad receiver or participant from a special place group unseat Skowronek as a gunner and particular groups participant? Will the Steelers add one other veteran broad receiver resembling Gabe Davis? May they take into account carrying six broad receivers on their preliminary 53-man roster as a substitute of 5? We’ll work via all of these questions as coaching camp rolls on. I’ve Scotty Miller touchdown on the apply squad proper now.
Tight Ends/Fullbacks (4) – Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
Evaluation: There may be loads of help for rookie undrafted free agent FB DJ Thomas-Jones forward of coaching camp getting underway. Moreover, loads of followers are considering that Connor Heyward’s time on the roster ought to now be up. I get each of these sentiments. Nonetheless, till I’ve extra of a motive to not have Connor Heyward on my 53-man roster, he’ll stay on it. He’s an above-average particular groups participant. The Steelers will preserve no less than 4 at this mixed place group and probably even 5 in complete, relying on how the roster math performs out. For now, I’ve Thomas-Jones on the Week 1 apply squad.
Offensive Linemen (9) – Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, Spencer Anderson, Calvin Anderson, Dylan Prepare dinner, Ryan McCollum
Evaluation: I’ve 9 as the ultimate depend and the primary listed 5 are the straightforward ones. Each of the Andersons really feel contained in the bubble forward of camp getting underway and the identical goes for McCollum, the one respectable backup heart on the staff proper now. Prepare dinner, who was injured final yr, can play each sort out and guard. Has the staff written him off now? Can a youthful offensive lineman or two make the 53-man roster as one of many eight or 9? It’s believable. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if a veteran, probably a sort out, is added as one of many 9 earlier than the common season begins.
Protection (26)
Defensive Linemen (7) – Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Daniel Ekuale, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Esezi Otomewo, Yahya Black
Evaluation: There’s quite a bit that must be discovered these subsequent a number of weeks in terms of the backend of this place group. Positive, Cameron Heyward, Benton and Harmon are the straightforward ones. Ekuale, a free agent addition, and Black, a fifth-round draft choice this yr, each definitely really feel manner contained in the 53-man roster bubble as effectively. Will the Steelers preserve six or seven defensive linemen in complete? I believe will probably be seven. Proper now, I’ve Loudermilk and Otomewo grabbing the ultimate two spots. That might clearly change by Week 1. For now, I’ve Logan Lee, who missed all of his rookie season with a calf damage, beginning the 2025 season on the apply squad.
Inside Linebackers (5) – Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison, Cole Holcomb, Carson Bruener
Evaluation: The largest query with these 5 inside linebackers could be Holcomb. He’s a bit cheaper this yr so except he struggles coming off of that 2023 knee damage, it could make sense to maintain him. As for Bruener, he ought to be very able to being a core particular groups participant for the Steelers all through his rookie season. Clearly, this could make ILB Mark Robinson expendable, and he might probably land on the apply squad.
Outdoors Linebackers (4) – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer
Evaluation: It’s not onerous to make these 4 the 4 exterior linebackers and it’s unlikely the staff will preserve greater than that quantity except a participant deeper on the depth chart simply has a terrific preseason on particular groups. For now, I’ve backup exterior linebackers Jeremiah Moon and Julius Welschof touchdown on the apply squad with the latter being there with the worldwide participant designation.
Cornerbacks (6) – Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Brandin Echols, Cory Trice Jr., James Pierre
Evaluation: Clearly, Ramsey and Slay are the brand new veteran additions to this place group and they need to be locks together with Porter. Echols was one other offseason free agent addition the staff had, and he definitely appears destined for a 53-man roster spot. Pierre is a rattling good particular groups participant and doubtless one of the best gunner on the roster. That leaves one spot open for Trice or Beanie Bishop Jr. I’ll give the sting to Trice, however he higher keep wholesome all summer season. For now, I’ll ship Bishop to the apply squad to open the common season.
Safeties (4) – DeShon Elliott, Juan Thornhill, Miles Killebrew, Quindell Johnson
Evaluation: This could be the hardest place group to foretell on the heels of the Steelers buying and selling away S Minkah Fitzpatrick just a few weeks in the past. As issues stand proper now, Thornhill seems to be to be the highest free security on the staff. Will the Steelers signal a veteran improve earlier than Week 1? We’ll see. Killebrew is a particular groups demon and ought to be the captain of that group once more in 2025. He’s primarily a powerful security on protection as effectively. How about Johnson as a sleeper to be the fourth security? It’s a daring prediction, however he does have some NFL expertise as a payment security and has performed on particular groups as effectively.
Specialists (3)
Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell
Evaluation: Barring an damage, Boswell ought to be a lock once more this season. His 2024 season was incredible, and he would possibly even get a 2025 money increase in some unspecified time in the future this summer season. The Steelers have rookie undrafted free agent Ok Ben Sauls beneath contract forward of coaching camp and the previous Pitt kicker ought to take a number of the summer season load off of Boswell.
Punter (1) – Cameron Johnston
Evaluation: Whereas Johnston is coming off of a critical knee damage in 2024, the expectations are for him to return to type. He went down injured in Week 1 final season, so he’s had loads of time to rehab. Simply in case, the Steelers have P Corliss Waitman beneath contract this summer season. Whereas the chances in all probability aren’t nice, possibly the Steelers might commerce Waitman to a different staff in want of a punter simply previous to the beginning of the 2025 common season.
Lengthy Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz
Evaluation: Kuntz is the incumbent lengthy snapper as soon as once more. Whereas the Steelers signed LS Tucker Addington to the offseason a number of weeks in the past, he isn’t anticipated to threaten Kuntz for his job. With that stated, stranger issues have occurred previously.
Non-53-Man Spots (1)
Reserve/Injured (1) – Donald Parham Jr.
Evaluation: Parham sustained an Achilles damage throughout OTAs, and he has been on the staff’s Reserve/Injured record ever since. He’s more likely to stay on that record all through the 2025 season on a cut up wage.
Follow Squad (17) – WR Scotty Miller, CB Donte Kent, DT Logan Lee, CB Beanie Bishop Jr., WR Brandon Johnson, RB Trey Sermon, ILB Mark Robinson, OLB Jeremiah Moon, G Nick Broeker, G/T Aiden Williams, T Doug Nester, FB DJ Thomas-Jones, RB Max Hurleman, TE JJ Galbreath, S Sebastian Castro, DT Domenique Davis, OLB Julius Welschof (INT exception)
Evaluation: Simply 17 dart throws at apply squad signings and all from the 91-man roster getting into coaching camp. The Steelers have a historical past of including a number of gamers launched from different NFL groups so clearly all 17 of my alternatives gained’t hit. It will likely be attention-grabbing, nonetheless, to see what number of of those 17 gamers do wind up beginning the 2025 common season on the apply squad.
Abstract: As is often the case, loads of these 53-man roster projected gamers are fairly apparent ones. There may be, nonetheless, fairly a little bit of wiggle room in terms of about 10 or so different spots in complete, and that’s the case yearly getting into coaching camp.
As standard, I needed to go along with Future Participant just a few occasions on this prediction, particularly at security, as a result of as historical past has proven us through the years, there are more likely to be no less than one or two extra gamers on the Week 1 roster who weren’t with the staff firstly of coaching camp. I, nonetheless, selected to make this prediction revolve across the 91 gamers at the moment beneath contract after which work from there as coaching camp and the preseason progress. I’ve all however certainly one of this yr’s draft picks, CB Donte Kent, making the Week 1 53-man roster. I even have an odd 24/26 participant cut up on offense and protection on this preliminary roster prediction.
