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On offense, it seems like the skill position players on our 53 man roster are almost virtually set already:
At QB, we'll keep Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, and Josh Dobbs.
Brogan Roback is only a camp arm.
At RB, we'll keep James Conner, Jaylon Samuels, and Benny Snell (plus Rosie Nix as the FB).
Guys like Trey Edmunds, Travon McMillan, Ralph Webb, and Malik Williams will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At WR, we'll keep Juju Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Diontae Johnson, Eli Rogers, and Ryan Switzer.
Guys like Trey Griffey, Tevin Jones, Diontae Spencer, and Ka'Raun White will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At TE, we'll keep Vance McDonald, Xavier Grimble, and Zach Gentry.
Guys like Kevin Rader and Trevor Wood will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
We can keep Christian Scotland-Williamson as an extra member of our practice squad that doesn't count against the designated total number of players as a part of the European Transfer program.
At OL, we'll keep Alejandro Villenueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Matt Feiler, Chuks Okorafor, and B.J. Finney. That's your starting 5 plus your 2 gameday backups at tackle and interior o-line.
Guys like Jerald Hawkins, Zach Banner, and Derwin Gray will likely be battling for spots at the end of the 53 man roster, but will most likely be gameday inactives assuming the top 7 players ahead of them are healthy entering the game.
Guys like Patrick Morris, J.C. Hassenauer, Garrett Brumfield, Fred Johnson, and R.J. Prince will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
So...offense is pretty much set, unless there is some completely unforeseen surprise. The d-line looks like it might just be chalk picks for the most part as well.
At DL, we'll keep Cameron Heyward, Javon Hargrave, Stephon Tuitt, and Tyson Alualu, plus rookie Isaiah Buggs will likely man the other backup DE spot once occupied by L.T. Walton, and Dan McCullers (gulp) might just be back again for yet another go around as the backup NT if we keep 6 guys here.
Guys like Jay Hayes, Lavon Hooks, Conor Sheehy, Winston Craig, Chris Nelson, and Casey Sayles will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At LB and DB is where things get crazy competive. We usually keep maybe 9 LB and 10 DB (but could theoretically opt for 10 of each due to the competition and the fact that much of our special teams tend to come from young players at these two spots...we'd have to keep one fewer player than usual on the OL or DL to make up for it, though).
At LB, we'll keep T.J. Watt, Devin Bush, Vince Williams, Bud Dupree, Mark Barron, and Anthony Chickillo.
The remaining LB slots will likely be chosen more by who benefits Danny Smith's special teams more than their defensive prowess this year. Heavy competition between Ola Adeniyi, Tyler Matakevich, Keion Adams, Sutton Smith, and Ulysses Gilbert.
Guys like J.T. Jones, Tegray Scales, and Robert Spillane will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At DB, we'll keep Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Terrell Edmunds, Sean Davis, Mike Hilton, and Justin Layne.
Guys like Artie Burns, Cam Sutton, Brian Allen, Marcus Allen, and Jordan Dangerfield will be battling to keep their roster spots.
I think the two AAF imports, Kam Kelly and Jack Tocho, plus UDFA S Dravon Askew-Henry have a good shot at making some noise in Latrobe and potentially knocking one of the more familiar names above off the roster.
Guys like Herb Waters, Marcelis Branch, and Alexander Myres will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
So, my request to Iron City Inc. (and anyone else attending camp in Latrobe this year) is to keep your eyes peeled specifically on all of the LB and DB drills, because that would appear to be where all the real action will be this summer.
At QB, we'll keep Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, and Josh Dobbs.
Brogan Roback is only a camp arm.
At RB, we'll keep James Conner, Jaylon Samuels, and Benny Snell (plus Rosie Nix as the FB).
Guys like Trey Edmunds, Travon McMillan, Ralph Webb, and Malik Williams will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At WR, we'll keep Juju Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Diontae Johnson, Eli Rogers, and Ryan Switzer.
Guys like Trey Griffey, Tevin Jones, Diontae Spencer, and Ka'Raun White will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At TE, we'll keep Vance McDonald, Xavier Grimble, and Zach Gentry.
Guys like Kevin Rader and Trevor Wood will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
We can keep Christian Scotland-Williamson as an extra member of our practice squad that doesn't count against the designated total number of players as a part of the European Transfer program.
At OL, we'll keep Alejandro Villenueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Matt Feiler, Chuks Okorafor, and B.J. Finney. That's your starting 5 plus your 2 gameday backups at tackle and interior o-line.
Guys like Jerald Hawkins, Zach Banner, and Derwin Gray will likely be battling for spots at the end of the 53 man roster, but will most likely be gameday inactives assuming the top 7 players ahead of them are healthy entering the game.
Guys like Patrick Morris, J.C. Hassenauer, Garrett Brumfield, Fred Johnson, and R.J. Prince will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
So...offense is pretty much set, unless there is some completely unforeseen surprise. The d-line looks like it might just be chalk picks for the most part as well.
At DL, we'll keep Cameron Heyward, Javon Hargrave, Stephon Tuitt, and Tyson Alualu, plus rookie Isaiah Buggs will likely man the other backup DE spot once occupied by L.T. Walton, and Dan McCullers (gulp) might just be back again for yet another go around as the backup NT if we keep 6 guys here.
Guys like Jay Hayes, Lavon Hooks, Conor Sheehy, Winston Craig, Chris Nelson, and Casey Sayles will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At LB and DB is where things get crazy competive. We usually keep maybe 9 LB and 10 DB (but could theoretically opt for 10 of each due to the competition and the fact that much of our special teams tend to come from young players at these two spots...we'd have to keep one fewer player than usual on the OL or DL to make up for it, though).
At LB, we'll keep T.J. Watt, Devin Bush, Vince Williams, Bud Dupree, Mark Barron, and Anthony Chickillo.
The remaining LB slots will likely be chosen more by who benefits Danny Smith's special teams more than their defensive prowess this year. Heavy competition between Ola Adeniyi, Tyler Matakevich, Keion Adams, Sutton Smith, and Ulysses Gilbert.
Guys like J.T. Jones, Tegray Scales, and Robert Spillane will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
At DB, we'll keep Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Terrell Edmunds, Sean Davis, Mike Hilton, and Justin Layne.
Guys like Artie Burns, Cam Sutton, Brian Allen, Marcus Allen, and Jordan Dangerfield will be battling to keep their roster spots.
I think the two AAF imports, Kam Kelly and Jack Tocho, plus UDFA S Dravon Askew-Henry have a good shot at making some noise in Latrobe and potentially knocking one of the more familiar names above off the roster.
Guys like Herb Waters, Marcelis Branch, and Alexander Myres will be battling for a possible practice squad position, but that's likely it.
So, my request to Iron City Inc. (and anyone else attending camp in Latrobe this year) is to keep your eyes peeled specifically on all of the LB and DB drills, because that would appear to be where all the real action will be this summer.
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