SCB Steelers Quick Hitters: The ‘Shaping Up’ Edition

Good Monday to you Steelers fans.

The shaping of the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers is well underway. They have already made several cuts with many more expected over the next day or so until they reach the 53-man limit. As I stated over the weekend when I released our roster projection, this is incredibly fluid. While the Steelers are busy creating their roster, they will also be busy scouring the waiver wire to see who has been sent packing across the league. I feel quite confident in telling you that at least one player – possibly more – will be added to the roster ahead of their season opener on September 10th. Most of the players that have been cut are not surprising. Some seem to believe that tight end Zach Gentry could be let go especially in light of him being in a walking boot. But Mike Tomlin made it clear it was not serious. I would be really surprised if Gentry, a Tomlin favorite, were cut this early. Those already released are kicker B.T. Potter, wide receivers Dan Chisena and Aron Cruickshank, cornerbacks Madre Harper and Nevelle Clark along with LBs Kuony Deng and Forrest Rhyne. Defensive lineman James Nyamwwya and long snapper Rex Sunahara were also cut. We’ll update the list as names are announced.

Dotson Trade

The Steelers parted ways with former fourth round draft pick Kevin Dotson last evening. Here are my thoughts on it.

Tweet of the Day… He was so good at these rants.

"I'm gonna have fun, and you're gonna have fun. We're all gonna have so much fucking fun we'll need plastic surgery to remove our goddamn smiles. You'll be whistling zippity-doo-dah out of your assholes!" pic.twitter.com/L1ZeDbAboq

— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) August 27, 2023

Tanking?

In case you haven’t noticed, the Arizona Cardinals have made several trades in recent days. Former first round pick Isaiah Simmons was sent to the New York Giants for a seventh rounder, Offensive Lineman Josh Jones to Houston for a fifth and acquired QB and former Steeler Josh Dobbs and a seventh in exchange for a fifth. Most would agree the Cardinals are entering this season with the worst roster in the NFL and there are significant doubts about Kyler Murray as their QB of the future. As we’ve seen, teams with lots of draft picks don’t always become as successful as they imagined. Cleveland should come to mind. Whether the Cards are already tanking for the chance to draft USC QB Caleb Williams is uncertain but it sure feels that way.

It Bears Repeating

If you clicked the link on my article regarding the trade of Kevin Dotson then you know what I’m about to say. If trading Dotson opens up a roster spot for Kendrick Green then someone needs their head examined. I mean zero disrespect to Green because he was miscast from the beginning and that’s not his fault. A career guard at Illinois, Green played four times at center yet the Steelers and then Offensive Line Coach Adrian Klemm, believed they could mold him into Maurkice Pouncey’s replacement. Despite his best efforts it just wasn’t going to work. He rarely got a helmet in 2022 and hasn’t looked good this year in game action. Under the Kevin Colbert regime, there was sometimes too much loyalty to guys, especially draft picks and I hope that isn’t the case here.