SCB Steelers Quick Hitters: The ‘Coming Into Focus’ Edition

Good Tuesday to you Steelers fans.

There is still one preseason game left to be played but the 53-man roster of the Pittsburgh Steelers is starting to come into focus. There is one exception however. The roster will indeed be set but just as quickly it will change. You must remember that all 32 teams will be making crucial decisions about their rosters and that means some pretty good players will be released. If I were a betting man I’d put my money on the Steelers looking to upgrade in two specific areas. One would be cornerback and the other would be offensive line. Start with the obvious at CB… Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, Joey Porter, Jr. and then what? Elijah Riley has taken some serious strides towards making the roster but I can’t say it’s a done deal. James Pierre seems like a lock, especially given his importance on Special Teams but his lack of consistency at CB is worrisome. Chandon Sullivan looks like the prototypical Steelers’ nickel corner and should make the roster. To this point, I haven’t seen enough from Madre Harper, Luc Barcoo, Lavert Hill (who just came aboard last week), Chris Wilcox or Nevelle Clark to make me think any of them are making this roster. Therefore, I really believe there’s a corner who will be set free during the cut down period that will find his way to the Steel City. As for the O-Line, I see it as more of an addition for a backup role. Broderick Jones, Dan Moore and Chuks Okorafor are your three main tackles but no one has shown enough to warrant being a fourth. Could the Steelers instead look for a back up center? Kendrick Green deserves to be cut and I say this with him in mind. He was brought into Pittsburgh with unrealistic expectations and he needs a clean start elsewhere. He just cannot be relied upon should something happen to Mason Cole. I’m sure Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin will add some other positions as well to the Practice Squad but those are the two spots I see being addressed the most in terms of the roster.

Transactions

Cody White and Hakeem Butler were sent packing yesterday. Both were designated as “waived/injured.” White has always been a guy right on the cusp of being a full time roster player but just couldn’t get there. Butler came into Camp with high expectations after playing so well in the XFL. Like White though, the consistency just wasn’t there. Their departures allowed the team to sign linebacker Kuomy Deng and receiver Aron Cruickshank. Deng was a two-time team captain at Cal and collected over 154 tackles in three seasons. Cruickshank hails from Wisconsin and Rutgers. He had 99 career receptions for the Scarlet Knights and has experience as a return man as well.

Tweet of the Day… This would be really good. Overall, the team is pretty healthy.

Mike Tomlin said he’s ‘optimistic’ that all of Larry Ogunjobi, Tre Norwood, and Nate Herbig will play this week.

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) August 21, 2023

This is What I Like…

I often get hammered by fans who say I’m not positive enough or that our podcast isn’t positive enough. There are absolutely times when that’s true but we try to keep things in the right context and that doesn’t always sit well with fans. I’ve been saying for the last two weeks that “This is the preseason. Let’s not get too carried away with Kenny Pickett’s performances.” Well, you know else said the same thing? KENNY PICKETT!

“It is preseason, man,” the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said during Monday’s open locker room inside the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “Nothing counts, so it is kind of easy to remain motivated because we haven’t done anything yet. Everybody understands that.” (Quote courtesy The Athletic)

This is a guy who gets it. He’s keeping everything in perspective which is exactly how all of us should be approaching his preseason performances as well as the expectations for his regular season. If hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth isn’t enough then I don’t know what is.