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2018 Position Previews

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Time to start up the "Position Preview" portion of the offseason. Its our "Training Camp Preparation" of sorts for those that haven't been paying close attention to the offseason. Camp starts this Wednesday!

Here is the progression list:
QB
RB
WR
TE
OT
G
C
DE
NT
ILB
OLB
CB
S
ST

Feel free to chime in! Thanks in advance to all that participate!!

GO STILLERS!
 

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Position Preview: Quarterback

Gone: Zach Mettenberger, Nick Schuessler, Bart Houston

Returning Starters: Ben Roethlisberger. There was a media circus surrounding Ben's comments this offseason when he appeared to be very opposed to the Rudolph pick in the draft. He had a point, but the Steelers are a perennial contender for a reason. They restock when it seems least likely to do so. It is debatable that Ben is in the twilight of his career, but he showed no signs of slowing last year down the stretch. Expect a solid year.

Returning Depth: Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs.

New Faces: Mason Rudolph. 3rd Rd pick with a lot of hype surrounding him. He had a stellar collegiate career and was being touted as a top 5 pick at the position for most of his senior year. His draft day fall to the 3rd round was huge, and time will tell what to make of it. The future looks bright for the kid.

On the Bubble: Jones & Dobbs. With the investment in Rudolph, that pins Jones & Dobbs in a head to head matchup in camp. Only 1 will stay. Dobbs has a steep hill to climb if he wants to unseat Jones.

Outlook:
New OC is giving the keys to the Ferrari to Ben. I expect Ben to have a great year, but it may take a few games to find his groove. Brutal schedule this season so they can't really afford to stumble out the gate like they typically do. It will be interesting to see how Rudolph does in the preseason. I'm hoping he gets every opportunity to win the QB2 spot.
 

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Position Preview: Running Back

Gone: Terrell Watson, Knile Davis, Trey Williams

Returning Starters: Le’Veon Bell & Roosevelt Nix (FB/RB). Bell & PIT failed to reach common ground on a contract so he will once again play on the franchise tag in what appears to be his final year with the Steelers. He plans to repeat last offseason by skipping training camp and preseason. He will still be the day 1 starter, but I'm curious to see if he struggles in the first few weeks again. Nix is coming off a pro bowl season so I'm expecting nothing but great things from him. Very underrated FB in the NFL.

Returning Depth:
James Conner, Stevan Ridley, Fitzgerald Toussaint. Conner appears to have undergone a big transformation this offseason. He bulked up. I'm very curious to see how much of a share of the offense he gets. With this being Bell's final year I have to wonder if they try to transition the offense to Conner in some capacity. Even in "win now" mode he should get a better share than in '17. Ridley was a late addition last season and helped out down the stretch in December. They waited until April this offseason to resign him so they must have good reason to keep him around. Toussaint is a great locker room & PS guy to have in the fold. He'll likely continue that role & only get called up in emergency situations.

New Faces:
Jaylen Samuels, Jarvion Franklin, James Summers. Samuels was a jack-of-all-trades type gadget player in college. He set the NC state record for career receptions and ranked 2nd in school history in total touchdowns. He played RB, TE & WR. Franklin went to WMU out of the Chicago area. Finished his freshman season as the 1st-ever MAC rookie of the year & offensive player of the year. He shattered the school career rushing mark, and finished 2nd in scoring. He also finished 5th all-time in MAC rushing. His subpar combine hurt his draft stock & thus went undrafted. Could have a sleeper there. Summers went undrafted in 2017 to Arizona. He played QB & RB at ECU.

On the Bubble:
Ridley, Samuels, Toussaint, Franklin, Summers. It appears to be a head to head matchup between Ridley & Samuels for the RB3 position. Position flexibility is a huge plus so Samuels might have the edge there. But Ridley has a lot of experience and given Samuels' TE flexibility (could take Grimble's spot), it could give them reason to keep Ridley around.

Outlook: Bell is once again betting big on himself to produce a career year so that he can cash in once FA opens up next spring. The holdout doesn't inspire confidence, but I think we can safely set out expectations as a repeat of 2017. It will be interesting to see if they give him 400+ touches again. I think Conner eats into that. Also worth noting, if Fichtner rolls out the no-huddle it could open up a lot more touches for guys like Conner & Samuels.
 

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Position Preview: Wide Receiver

Gone: Martavis Bryant (traded to OAK), Eli Rogers, Cobi Hamilton, Demarcus Ayers, Sammie Coates, Canaan Severin

Returning Starters: Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster. AB continues to be one of the best players in the NFL. No reason to expect anything less at this point. Madden Curse be damned! Juju is coming off a stellar rookie season and appears to have put the work in this offseason to continue that success. With Bryant out of the way it appears he has secured the #2 spot.

Returning Depth: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Justin Hunter, Marcus Tucker, Justin Thomas. DHB continues to defy the odds and is a well-establish ST-ace. He's a great vet leader type guy and will be difficult for anyone to unseat. There has been a lot of hype surrounding Hunter. Another strong camp should vault him into the Bryant-vacancy discussion. Tucker proved to be a valuable asset on the PS last year. He's strong candidate to take over the slot WR void. Thomas has been an ongoing project. He's a converted QB and is incredibly smart. He won over the coaches in a short time period and is vying for the slot position as well.

New Faces: James Washington, Quadree Henderson, Damoun Patterson, Tevin Jones, Trey Griffey. Washington was their 3rd Rd pick. He was one of the best deep ball WRs in the NCAA last year. And he has come to the same team as his collegiate QB, Mason Rudolph. He has already had strong rookie & OTA camps so I expect some buzz at TC. Henderson was a ST demon at Pitt, and carved out a unique role in the offense as a motion/counter/reverse type runner. He has decent hands so he should push for the slot role as well. Patterson is a small school kid from Youngstown. His numbers didn't put him in the media spotlight, but that had more to do with bouncing around different schools & playing in rub-heavy/traditional offenses that limited his usage. When teams got him the ball, he produced. He has solid ST value as he worked as a cover/gunner guy on kickoffs & punts. He's a smooth route-runner with good hands so keep an eye on him in camp. Jones signed as a UDFA with the Texans back in '15. He spent that year on PS, then signed with KC the following year. He only had 1 catch in the regular season, and it was a short reception that he turned into a 68yd TD. Big play ability, but limited experience as a WR & STer. Griffey, son of HOFer Ken Griffey Jr, was a smaller volume WR in Arizona. He was primarily a RZ target with great vertical catching ability.

On the Bubble: DHB, Hunter, Tucker, Thomas, Henderson, Patterson, Jones, Griffey. 8 guys and probably 3-4 bones. DHB & Hunter seem like locks but are replaceable. The rest are slot-hopefuls and a few that need to carve out a ST role.

Outlook: Clearly the team has focused on retooling their depth, not only to fill the voids but also for ST purposes. Seems like they are looking for the next DHB type role players, as well as the ongoing search for the return guy capable of getting AB off punts. With AB leading the corps this group will remain one of the best in the NFL. JuJu & Washington are sure-handed possession guys but are capable of taking the top off a defense. Seems like both are very capable of being lined up in various positions X/Y/Z which gives the offense a lot of different looks. Bryant & Rogers leave a void, but I'm confident they will find their replacements. There's an outside shot that Rogers resigns as well.
 
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Position Preview: Tight End

Gone: Jake McGee (IR - hurt in OTAs), Phazahn Odom

Returning starters:
Vance McDonald. Hearing great things about him this offseason. Finally healthy and has been working like a madman to get himself in better shape. He has high hopes this year to make a huge impact.

Returning Depth: Jesse James, Xavier Grimble. Jesse James continues to prove that he's a well-rounded player with decent hands. He never quite took hold of the void that Heath left, but hes a capable player. Grimble has been kept around for his hybrid/playmaking ability. He's a solid role player with good RZ potential. He's a hard worker but still fairly raw route runner with subpar blocking ability. When used correctly he can help the offense.

New Faces: Ryan Malleck, Pharoah McKever, & Christian Scotland-Williamson. Malleck isn't really a new face since he had a brief stint with the Steelers last offseason, but he was a recent FA acquisition when McGee got hurt in OTAs. Former UDFA signed with NYG. Bounced around the BAL & HOU PS's, and has only been on an active roster once (last December). McKever appears to be another raw playmaker, sort of like Phazahn Odom was last offseason. Mainly used as an in-line route-runner TE (hybrid) at FIU (FL Int), he still found himself blocking even in pass-protection. He has a unique build with a tall frame. As a blocker he used his length & frame really well, and even with a limited route tree he was a load to bring down. He reminds me of a raw Eric Ebron. CSW is a former rugby star that was signed through the NFL's International Pathway Program which enables a team to add & keep 1 addition PS spot. Currently listed as a TE, he could very well transition to O-line with his 6'9 270-lb frame.

On the Bubble: James, Grimble, Malleck, McKever. Before McGee got hurt I was predicting a head to head battle between him & James. That speaks more of McGee's ability than to whether I think James is replaceable or not. James is a serviceable guy that should be locked in this year. That leaves 1 possible spot. As mentioned in the RB preview, Samuels has TE experience and could carve out a role. Not to mention Rosie Nix has that ability as well. They could opt to only keep 2 TEs on the roster, but I am predicting 3. CSW will end up on the PS as part of that additional PS spot granted to the IPP.

Outlook: If McDonald can stay healthy then he will do damage. He proved to be a valuable asset in his limited starts last year. I think James is a solid backup but he's not the playmaker that McDonald is. I'd like to see Grimble continue to step up and find a better role, but we'll have to wait & see how the offense looks under the new OC.
 

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Position Preview: Offensive Tackle

Gone: Jerald Hawkins (IR - hurt in OTAs), Chris Hubbard, Brian Mihalik, Keavon Milton, Ikenna Nwokeji

Returning Starters: Marcus Gilbert, Alejandro Villanueva. Gilbert is looking to redeem himself after his suspension last season robbed him of a pro-bowl/all-pro season. He is still a top 3 RT in the league and he's hungry to prove himself. AVill is starting to look more & more like an established starter. There are times he looks lost going up against the smaller pass-rushers, but he can hold his own against the vast majority of the league. Gotta remember that he has only been playing the position for 4 years now which is pretty incredible. He'll be 30 years old this year, so we may already see his ceiling though.

Returning Depth: Matt Feiler. This man was kept around as a 9th O-lineman last season for a reason. The coaches see something in him. Whether that be for replacing Hubbard as the utility guy capable of filling in anywhere, or simply grooming him to take over at one of the OT spots down the road. I think Hawkins was seen as the future of the position but he can't seem to stay healthy. Another season lost for him, but makes me even more glad they protected Feiler on the 53 last season. I think we'll see why this year. Feiler will likely have a lot of chances to step in this season.

New Faces: Chukwuma Okorafor, Bryce Harris, Jake Rodgers, Joseph Cheek, Larson Graham. "Chuks" Okorafor was the Steelers' 2nd selection in the 3rd Rd. Considered a raw project, Chuks brings depth to an apparently thin OT group. I'll defer to Munch because he talkeda bout him extensively after the draft. Munch considers him a top prospect at the position, which speaks volumes coming from a HOFer & well-established O-line coach. Harris is an NFL vet that they acquired just last month. Former UDFA of ATL, he's been a journeyman for most of his career spending time with JAX, MIA, SF, & most recently NO. He has 4 career starts & appeared in 37 games. Rodgers is another guy to keep an eye on this offseason. His acquisition this offseason flew far under the radar after the Steelers quietly claimed him off waivers from the Texans. There is a lot that works in Rodgers' favor... First is that Hawkins is lost for the season to injury. 2nd is that the Steelers liked him enough last year to have him on the PS for a good portion of the season. 3rd, which is huge, is that he plays both OG & both OT positions. Unfortunately, all this hype came before the draft selection Chuks came aboard. After Cheek went Undrafted he signed with the Saints but ended up on HOU's PS, and then KC's PS. He played college ball at Texas A&M during the Manziel era. Despite his size he played mostly at OG. Graham is the prototypical O-lineman that Munch seems to love. He's smart, efficient, good athleticism, and plays with a nasty disposition. He played for the Dukes (who play on Art J Rooney Field) and accumulated 46 starts at RT & named NEC All-2nd team for 3 straight seasons.

On the Bubble: Feiler, Rodgers, Cheek, Graham. I think Feiler is the only guy in danger of losing his spot to any of these reserve/futures guys. IMO Rodgers is the only guy that I could see pushing for that spot. Ideally the Steelers will try to keep at least 3 of these guys (2 on PS).

Outlook: This group looks solid on the surface. They have established starters with serviceable depth. The loss of Hawkins was a bummer, but we will have to see what Munch can do with Chuks & Feiler before we hit the panic button if Gil or AVill go down to injury.
 

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Position Preview: Guard

Gone: Chris Hubbard, Ethan Cooper

Returning Starters: David DeCastro, Ramon Foster. DeCastro is top 2 at his position easy. He's a stud. Foster is still a reliable vet but will be 33 this season.

Returning Depth:
BJ Finney, Matt Feiler. Signed to a 1 year contract extension this offseason, Finney is likely the heir of the LG position once Foster departs. It would be a shame if they lost Finney to FA if Foster sticks around. He's a solid starter when given the chance, but he will likely play backup to both G & C for at least 1 more season.

New Faces: RJ Prince, Jake Rodgers, Chris Schleuger. Prince appears to be another position flexible guy. He was listed as OT on the rookie minicamp roster but most of his time has come at G. He's an athletic prospect with good baseline traits. I talked about Rodgers in the OT preview. Schleuger comes from a smaller school at UAB. He was one of several UDFA O-lineman brought in to fill out their (necessary) 15 for training camp. They currently have 16 O-lineman which is good news for vets needing rest at camp. Schleuger did play LT at UAB, but he's undersized and will likely rotate inside. He plays with good pad level but is fairly limited athlete. Sort of a waist-bender in pass-pro that can fall off, and also gets too tall with meager hand technique. Appears to be nothing more than a camp body.

On the Bubble: Prince, Rodgers, Schleuger. All 3 are battling for a PS spot most likely. It would take an injury to Finney to open the door on the 53 unless one of them shines in camp. And with Foster's contract up after this season, they could be looking to groom someone & keep them around.

Outlook: Same nucleus with this group means we shouldn't expect any dropoff in play. This unit is as good as they come in the NFL.
 
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Position Preview: Center

Gone: Chris Hubbard,

Returning Starters: Maurkice Pouncey. The captain of the O-line & 9-yr vet is still playing at a high level at 29 years old. Haven't seen any dropoff in play so there's no reason to expect otherwise. He has managed to stay healthy these last 2 years so fingers crossed he can continue to stay that way.

Returning Depth: B.J. Finney (C/G), Matt Feiler. Although I never saw Feiler take snaps at C, I heard he got some experience at camp.

New Faces: Jake Rodgers, RJ Prince, Chris Schleuger. All 3 have been mentioned before and none of which appear to have any experience at C. But if they want a chance to stick around then position flexibility is the name of the game.

On the Bubble: Rodgers, Prince, Schleuger.

Outlook: Much of the success of the O-line as a unit hinges on their captain, Pouncey. It never quite seems the same without him in there. Finney is a serviceable guy at C, but he's better suited as a road grader G. The position seems in good hands.
 

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Position Preview: Defensive End

Gone: Johnny Maxey, Francis Kallon, Christian Brown

Returning Starters: Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt. Heyward is one of the few players on the defense who doesn't have anything to prove. He's an elite player capable of doing damage on any snap. The '18 season is an important year for Tuitt. He's finally healthy and looking to have a breakout year. He's a menace when healthy so I'm excited to see if he can take that next step.

Returning Depth: Tyson Alualu, LT Walton (DE/DT), Lavon Hooks. Alualu was a pleasant surprise, especially for how much he had to fill in for Tuitt last season. He's not a flashy guy but he's a solid starter that is very well-rounded in his game. He was never a liability and always gives great effort. He is a great depth piece to have. Walton is another quality depth piece. He's tough versus the run and has a great sideline-to-sideline motor, but he doesn't offer very much as a pass rusher. Which is one of the reasons why he fills in at DT/NT on occasion. Easy to assume that he'll continue that role. Hooks has been lingering around the PS for 2 seasons so the coaches like what they see.

New Faces: Greg Gilmore, Kendal Vickers, Casey Sayles, Darnell Leslie (OLB?). Gilmore is one of the Steelers' top UDFAs from this year. A quality pickup coming out of LSU that got snubbed in the draft. He had 7.5 sacks as a senior. He's a position flexible guy too which boosts his value. Keep an eye on him. Vickers is a hard nosed/high effort type player that's as tough as they come. He's a raw prospect with limited game though so he's a project of sorts.Sayles is expected to take reps at DE in camps, but he does have DT experience. He played at Ohio in college and was signed as a UDFA to LAR. Leslie is listed as DE, but he played in a 4-3 scheme and is only 240 lbs. My guess is he plays OLB in camp.

On the Bubble: Walton, Hooks, Gilmore, Leslie, Vickers. The team only keeps 5 DL active on gamedays. With Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave & Alualu being assured 4 of those spots... That leaves only 1 spot up for grabs, and it's Walton's spot to lose. They do keep 6-7 on the 53 though, so that could open the door for a head to head between Hooks & Gilmore with Frazier & McCullers battling for the final spot behind Hargrave.

Outlook: They finally found their depth pieces capable of rotating in to spell Heyward & Tuitt and keep them from playing >90% of the defensive snaps. With Alualu & Walton you don't see much of a dropoff in play which is a beautiful thing. New D-Line coach Karl Dunbar inherits a phenomenal group. A lot of eyes will be on Gilmore in camp to see if he can impress.
 
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Position Preview: Defensive Tackle / Nose Tackle

Gone: Roy Philon, Nelson Adams

Returning Starters: Javon Hargrave. Though he faded a little down the stretch last season, i think he had a solid season. It wasn't until the playoffs that we learned that he suffered a back injury at some point during the reg season. He's looking to stay healthy this year and continue to carve out his role in Butler's sub-package heavy schemes. He'll be a fun player to watch mold with new DL coach Karl Dunbar. He still has great potential.

Returning Depth: Dan McCullers, LT Walton (DE/DT), Lavon Hooks. Big Dan gets 1 final offseason to prove himself. Many of us had written him off until they resigned him to a 1-yr deal. He's a guy that simply hasn't come close to playing to his massive potential. It's not so much of a problem with technique as it is with his mental game. He lacks that dog in him to make him a player in the NFL.

New Faces: Joshua Frazier, Casey Sayles, Parker Cothren. For what McCullers lacks, Frazier brings to the table. Frazier is another massive anchor who has experience playing for Karl Dunbar at Bama. But that doesn't give him an advantage given the difficulties of a rookie transitioning to the NFL. McCullers still has the leg up on him until proven otherwise. Would love to see Frazier crack the lineup and come in during run support packages. He needs to prove himself in camp. Sayles could see snaps at DT in camp. Snaps will be hard to come by, so if he can be position flexible then he'll only boost his value to the coaches. Cothren is a Penn State product that started 13 games as a senior. He recorded 27 tackles, 2.5 TFL & 1.5 sacks. He was a n All-Big Ten honorable mention selection.

On the Bubble: McCullers, Frazier, Sayles, Hooks, Cothren. As mentioned in the DE preview, theres 1 bone for this group behind Hargrave.

Outlook: The true DT/NT position is being largely marginalized under Butler's schemes, but still useful in sub-packages. Butler likes to line up all of his D-lineman in a ton of different looks, which we have seen Heyward lining up inside a lot. Versatility reigns supreme. Listed as the only true NT, Hargrave was still able to play on 47% of the defensive snaps last season. But he lined up in various spots along the D-line proving his worth. His snap counts should only rise if he molds into the starting caliber player they see in him.
 

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Position Preview: Inside Linebacker

Gone: Ryan Shazier (PUP/IR), Sean Spence, Arthur Moats (OLB/ILB), Steven Johnson, Austin Gearing

Returning Starters: Vince Williams. Many people seem to think that V-Will isn't a quality starter, which is bullshit. His numbers don't lie. His pass rush productivity was phenomenal last season. He rushed the passer on 20% of passing snaps (4th highest at the position) and turned those opportunities into 7 sacks & 18 pressures which was 1st among all ILBs in the NFL. And for those that are concerned about his ability to cover the pass? Well he finished as the 4th lowest passer rating among ILBs when targeted in coverage. Case closed. He finished the '17 season as the 17th highest rated ILB in the NFL. That's fringe top 1/4 of the league! I've been a huge fan of his since he was drafted. Not only is he reliable, but he plays with a fiery tenacity & passion that few linebackers in the league can match. His athletic ability may be somewhat limited in comparison to, say, Shazier, but there's no doubt in my mind that V-Will is maximizing himself. And he is just getting into the prime of his career. I'm excited to see him continue to flourish.

Returning Depth: Tyler Matakevich, L.J. Fort, Matt Galambos, Keith Kelsey. Matakevich (Dirty Red) may not be the most athletic or fastest LB, but he is one of the most intelligent & fundamentally sound players on the team. He will likely be the primary backup to both ILB positions, as well as being a ST's ace. Considering the usage he has seen last season, he's a very underrated gem on this team. Fort enters his 4th offseason with the Steelers. Last year I thought he may have been the better choice over Dirty Red to round out the ILB depth chart, but the coaches knew better. Fort has a limited ceiling, but he brings a lot of experience & ST abilities to the table. He is sound insurance should anyone get injured. Galambos stuck around last year on PS for a reason. He's basically a Dirty Red clone. He flashed solid potential in the preseason & I expect that to continue this year. He has as good a chance as any to crack the 53. Kelsey stuck around on the PS as well and he brings more athleticism to the group. But he is still considered a raw product. Would like to see him step up in camp.

New Faces: Jon Bostic, Matthew Thomas. Bostic was a fairly unheralded FA acquisition this year. It was met with quit a bit of skepticism, but the fact remains that he is being viewed as a potential starter. Known for his aggressive playing style & athleticism, he checks a lot of boxes but the concern over his pass coverage skills are an issue. There's a lot of talk about 3 Safety packages that Butler could use this season so we may not see Bostic on the field much during passing downs. We'll have to wait & see how that unfolds. During OTAs Bostic played behind Matakevich, but I don't expect that to last. Bostic's experience & superior athleticism over Dirty Red will push him up the depth chart. Thomas is bringing a lot of hype with him to camp. Widely considered a draft snub, this UDFA signing has shown the ability to make a lot of plays during his college career at FSU. One of the problems was that he also showed the ability to miss them as well. He's 6'3" & slightly undersized, but he has the athleticism to match with some of the best in the league. Some scouts even compared him to Bobby Wagner. There were reports that he was summoned to work with the team's strength & conditioning coach to help him bulk up this offseason. If he can survive camp, I really like his chances of making the 53.

On the Bubble: Matakevich, Fort, Galambos, Kelsey & Thomas. The team will likely keep 4 ILBs, and I think barring injury only 2 spots are up for grabs. Dirty Red has the leading edge in the group and I don't expect he'll give up his spot. That leaves a 4-way battle for the final spot. Thomas has by far the superior athleticism of the group so if he can match potential with sound football, then he'll win out.

Outlook: The Steelers, questionably so, gave us fans something to worry about this offseason when they passed on big fish in FA, as well as missing out on the top 3-4 ILBs they viewed as 1st Rd picks in the draft (Smith, Evans, & LVE). They also seemingly showed no interest in vet Mychal Kendricks when Philly tossed him to the curb back in May/June. Only insurance they gave the team was a journeyman & borderline starter in Bostic. It's debatable that the FA pool wouldn't have helped in the areas that the Steelers needed, or that the cap numbers didn't permit some of the signings. But the concern remains. Expectations are undoubtedly high given whom is being replaced, Ryan Shazier. Which will indeed result in disappointment from the fans. It's unfair for anyone to expect a replacement to match the all-pro abilities of Shazier, but such is life in the NFL. NFL fans are a relentless & emotional bunch. If Butler can figure out a way to shore up his pass defense with subpackages rather than relying on the likes of Bostic, then I think this defense will be just fine. Bostic's talents are best used between the tackles so he will need to be used properly. Tackling has also been a big issue for this defense, which has plagued them for years. I'm in "wait & see" mode with this group.
 

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Position Preview: Outside Linebacker

Gone: James Harrison, Arthur Moats (OLB/ILB)

Returning Starters: Bud Dupree & TJ Watt. The team opted to pickup Dupree's 5th year option, meaning they are betting big on him rising to his potential. There's a lot of debate as to whether we have seen his ceiling or not, but no matter the case he simply hasn't materialized into the beast they need him to be. The OLB position has drastically changed under Butler so its not as if he isn't producing to the new demands. He's a serviceable player capable of covering a lot of ground and has done well dropping into coverage, which seems to happen quite a lot in Butler's schemes. According to NFL's S&S, the steelers dropped Dupree into coverage roughly 75% of the time. Crazy! But the most damning stat to Dupree's name is that on 354 pass-rushing snaps last year, he produced just 40 total pressures, and has only 83 career pressures since he entered the league in 2015. The career number is obviously skewed by his injury history, but 2017 was supposed to be the year he shined and he didn't. Sure he doubled his career numbers from 2 seasons in just 1 season, but that 2017 stat is not a stellar number by any means. He has made it very difficult to be optimistic about his future. To me he looks like an overpaid journeyman right now. I hope he proves me wrong. There have been reports of Butler rotating Dupree to the ROLB spot to see if that helps, but I don't know if that will be permanent or just a rotation to give the defense different looks. Watt's rookie season was special and breathes new hope into the position. The potential he possesses is ridiculous. He was considered a raw prospect coming out of Wisconsin, and he won the starting position in 1 offseason from none other than James Harrison. And he graded out very well during the regular season. His 73.5 PFF coverage grade ranked 7th at the position. And against the run? I haven't found the year-end result, but through 10 weeks he had a 9.7% run stop percentage. The only edge defender with a better run stop percentage through 10 weeks of their rookie season over the last 5 years was Khalil Mack. The scariest part for other teams is that Watt still has a LOT of room to grow.

Returning Depth: Anthony Chickillo, Keion Adams, Farrington Huguenin. Chickillo got resigned to a 1 year deal and is the primary depth piece on the roster. With Moats gone, it will be Chick's job to backup both positions. The coaches must have liked Adams a lot in camp last year considering he was kept on IR. As history has shown, there's never a guarantee that a 7th Rd pick does that as a rookie. Most teams cut ties. Adams has a great opportunity to make the squad, but he remains a raw product until proven otherwise. We can't get too carried away with optimism given that he's still only a 7th Rd pick. Huguenin made his mark last offseason and got the opportunity to stick around on the PS. Coaches have raved about his work ethic & athleticism. He's one of my dark horse candidates to make the 53 this year.

New Faces:
Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, Darnelle Leslie. "Ola" is another athletic & raw project to join the offseason ranks. In his senior season at Toledo he amassed 8.5 sacks. And from what I have seen from game film, those sacks were the results of good straight up pass rushing skills. Good hand work, good rips, counter moves, speed & power. He has a good skillet in the rushing department. His footwork is a bit too choppy though, which he had been able to overcome with his superior athleticism to smaller school O-lineman. At the NFL level he will need to learn a lot in a small time frame to refine his skills enough to make a mark. As I said in the DE preview, Leslie is listed as a DE but has too small of a frame to be considered as such in Butler's scheme. He would have had to put on 30+ lbs to be considered a D-lineman. The OLB group is where I think he lines up. He did play OLB at Monmouth so it only makes sense. Even then he's still a tad undersized at 236 lbs. He could use 14-20 lbs if he wants to stick around. Leslie does present some decent pass edge skills in that he is a natural pass rusher that can get into the backfield with consistency. At Monmouth he racked up 36 TFLs & 15 sacks, and that was without playing his Junior season which was lost to a Jones fracture (toe/foot). He flashed enough at his pro day to earn himself 2 tryouts in the NFL, to which he turned into a very rare contract with Dallas. He's a tenacious rusher that attacks the pocket well. Beat writers in DAL said he was particularly difficult to block when on the move. He has a great feel for how to rush the passer & did a nice job of fighting down the line to get to ball carriers. He lasted the entire camp in DAL before getting cut on the finall cutdowns to 53. He did not receive any PS offers so he went and played in the CFL for the BC Lions. Should be interesting to see if he generates any noise in camp.

On the Bubble: Chickillo, Adams, Huguenin, Adeniyi & Leslie. Given Chick's experience I find it hard to imagine he would be unseated, but I've been surprised before. He also brings solid ST play to the table. At worst I think he loses the primary backup role but still stays on the team. It would take a lot of effort for any of the bottom 3 to rise above him so I imagine this will boil down to 3 dogs & 1 remaining bone or maybe even 2 if they can prove themselves on ST. Could come down to Huguenin, Leslie & Adeniyi vying for 1 final spot. Or it could be Adams, Leslie & Adeniyi. We shall see.

Outlook: On paper this position might be the thinnest on the entire team. After the top 2-3 players there is nothing but unproven talent. The starters are relatively unproven in 1 way or another, but do have a lot of hype & a lot to prove. And the depth pieces are either journeymen types or simply unproven as well. There could be 2-3 spots up for grabs which might not get decided on until preseason rolls around.
 

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Position Preview: Cornerback

Gone: William Gay, Ross Cockrell (traded to NYG for conditional pick), Senquez Golson, Greg Ducre, Antonio Crawford, Brandon Dixon, JaCorey Shepard

Returning Starters: Artie Burns, Joe Haden, Mike Hilton. For all the flack that Burns gets, he graded out at 80.8 in PFF as the 43rd rated CB which they consider "above average". There have been a lot of growing pains with Artie, and his biggest problem is consistency. He can flash all-pro talent in 1 game, and then disappear for 1 game. In other words he presented us with plenty of moments which made us want to slam our heads into a wall. He has a unique ability to be very good, yet also being a bonehead that misses calls or takes chances that look really ugly. Last season in the 1st 4 weeks of play he was rated as the 3rd best CB in the league, ahead of many all-pros. And he was heavily targeted to boot. After that was a onslaught of poor games until he bounced back down the stretch. After the regular season he had improved his overall coverage grade from 76.8 in his rookie season to 81.4. Will he continue the upward trend in year 3? I hope so. Joe Haden delivered a mixed bag prior to his leg fracture. According to PFF, 2017 was one of his best years of his career even though it was relatively nondescript. In man coverage he flashed his pro bowl abilities, but in zones he lacked eye discipline & wanted to jump the underneath route too often. He's not the youthful athlete anymore with limited speed but he does bring a lot of experience to the table, so he's a good fit for Butler's schemes. They just need better reliability out of him. Here's a nasty stat to chew on, Haden finished with a 79.2 grade which was good enough for 51st in PFF at the position right in front of none other than Ross Cockrell. If you are being graded closely to the likes of Ross Cockrell then you need to do better Joe. He still has something left in the tank and has been working his ass off this offseason. I'm hopeful for good results. Hilton was a revelation last season. Not only was he a great slot cover CB, he had an uncanny ability to make splash plays. His 15 total QB pressure finished tied for 1st at the CB position. In coverage he finished with a 61.1 passer rating allowed in the slot, which was 2nd best at the position. He finished the year with 6 PDs, 2 INTs, 1 FF, & 4 sacks. That's impressive production from a slot CB that only played roughly 60% of the total defensive snaps. They need to get him more reps out there.

Returning Depth: Cameron Sutton, Coty Sensabaugh, Brian Allen, Deshaun Phillips. Sutton will likely be the 4th CB on the depth chart behind the starters. He can play inside or outside, and is even being toyed with at safety. There were also reports that he was fielding returns on ST. His versatility could be a big key to this defense if he can carve out a role, or better, put pressure on Burns & Haden. Coaches said he was incredibly savvy in regards to football IQ, and he was a quick-study. If he can stay healthy then I expect to hear good things from camp. Sensabaugh had a rough go of things last season. He made 4 starts last season when he took over the featured outside role after Haden got injured. He was effectively benched during 2 of those games, and should have been a 3rd against GB. He got routinely abused against GB, CIN, & BAL. It was only against the flabbergasted Titans on his first start that he looked impressive. After the BAL game he did not play another snap for the remainder of the season. It was Sutton that came back from injury & held down the spot until Haden came back. Sens was inactive for the final 2 games of the reg season as well as the playoff loss. Not really sure I see much interest in keeping him around at his cap number, but he survived the cuts when Mitchell, Gay & Golden got the axe so who knows. Allen is still a project and could be expected to provide depth at CB this year as well as being a key member of ST. It was a bummer that we didn't get to see Phillips in action last year when Sens was stinking it up. But I think that had something to do with Sutton's return. If the Steelers keep 6 CBs, then Phillips could be their guy since he's an experienced & cheaper option that Sens. Don't forget the Steelers traded with the Redskins to acquire him, which tells us all we need to know about how they view him as a prospect. I think this is the year he makes his mark.

New Faces:
Jamar Summers, & Trey Johnson. Summers was a 3.5 year starter, full-time from soph to senior seasons at UConn. He amassed 182 tackles, 12 INTs. He split time between corner & safety though, which tailed off his production towards the end of his collegiate career. He has good speed & playmaking ability but lacks physicality. He's a tad undersized at 5'10" but he's a smart player who rarely looked lost or out of position in his game film. His length may hurt his recovery times at the NFL level. When watching Johnson's film the first thing that jumped out at me was his vertical leaping ability & how he times his jumps to meet the ball at its highest point. He plays much much bigger than his 5'11" height. Like Summers, he too showed the versatility in playing both corner & safety. My biggest concern with him is his tackling. He's a drag tackler which will earn him a bus pass at the NFL level.

On the Bubble:
Sensabaugh, Allen, Phillips, Summers, & Johnson. It's a crowded depth chart at the CB position and the team is likely keeping 6 of them. With 4 of the spots likely spoken for, that leaves 2 from this group that need to flash some ability in preseason as well as show up on ST. My leading candidates are Allen & Phillips, but I have a suspicion that will change.

Outlook: On paper the position seems to have a plethora of talent, but it doesn't seem to materialize on the field with much consistency. It's always the big games where they seem to let us down rather than rise up. The secondary has been considered a sad state of affairs for going on a half decade now, but at least is starting to show some promise. The secondary benefits immensely from the front 7 dominating in the trenches. If they can establish the communication & chemistry to match it, then this should be a top 5 unit.
 

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Position Preview: Safety

Gone: Mike Mitchell (thank God), Robert Golden, JJ Wilcox, Jacob Hagen, Terrish Webb

Returning Starters: Sean Davis. There has been a lot of talk of Davis transitioning to FS this year after Mike Mitchell's departure (got the boot). Considering he has much better range & athleticism than recent FA acq. Morgan Burnett, it seems like the obvious choice. He is still young, but he does have the most experience working in the Steelers' system so that should give him the communication skills required for the FS position. But there hasn't been any conclusive evidence that it will happen. Not to mention there was also talk of Cam Sutton (CB) making that transition.

Returning Depth: Jordan Dangerfield, Malik Golden. Dangerfield is one of my favorite stories to follow, as well as providing a name that makes for an easy narrative. He gets no respect, I tell ya... No respect at all. Undrafted out of Towson in '13 he spent 4 years of training camps & PS's before he was able to crack a final 53 after carving out a ST role. In '16 he finally made his first start on the Steelers D. He ended up starting 2 games in aid of Mitchell/Golden injuries and performed very admirably in the process. However an ankle injury derailed him prior to the '17 season (preseason finale no less). He's a sound player with excellent tracking ability, as well as being able to lay the lumber with the best of them. I've been a fan ever since 2014 preseason when he nearly knocked a NYG FB unconscious at the goalline. A hit that made my hair stand up on my neck. That was easily one of the biggest hits that I had ever seen and they were both squared up in the gap. That's no-holds-barred smashmouth football in its purest form. Golden is a former Penn State product that learned to play DB in college and wasn't a full time starter until his senior year. He impressed enough at his Pro Day to earn multiple tryouts in the NFL but never made the cuts. It wasn't until the Steelers called that he found a home on the PS. He flashed solid coverage abilities in the preseason before a tearing a tendon in his groin during an interception return in the preseason finale. Bum luck. Coaches said he had a good shot at making the roster last year if it wasn't for that injury. Now healthy, he has a very big hill to climb if he wants to make the team again.

New Faces:
Morgan Burnett, Terrell Edmunds, Marcus Allen, & Nat Berhe. Burnett is one of the best tackling safeties in the NFL, and has seen a lot of time playing LB/box-safety. One would assume that means his skillset is tailored towards the SS position, but the coaches have floated out the idea that he can play FS. Confusing to say the least. We have seen a lot of failures at the FS position due in large part to them putting SS-types back there. So here we go again! Burnett does bring good versatility & experience to make him a starter on this team, but I don't know where yet. There are a lot of high expectations surrounding Edmunds given that he is a 1st Rd pick. There was quite the befuddlement surrounding the draft selection since he had long been projected as a 2nd-4th Rder. A lot of analysts called it the biggest reach of the draft. Lets hope the Steelers know better than they do. It's hard to tell what they specifically have in store for the kid, but he is likely to be a key player in specific subpackages. He's a SS-type but does possess good range skills working from sideline to sideline, as well as boasting solid communication skills. His coverage abilities seem questionable in film, but he does have a presence on the back-end. Worth noting that an injury in college may have downplayed his senior year. I'm hopeful that he will make an impact this year because they need it badly. Allen is yet another SS-type player that was actually projected to be a higher draft pick than Edmunds. He was touted as a borderline 1st Rd pick, however I thought he was better suited as a 2nd or 3rd. Seems as though many teams thought the same when watching his film since he slid all the way to the 5th Rd. Hard to imagine him cracking the starting lineup but he has a puncher's chance right now. His best bet is to become a big contributor on ST, and provide quality depth. Berhe is known for his ST play, and was acquired when the team cut ties with former ST-ace Robert Golden. He is likely to be that heir-apparent ST guy, but there's going to be competition from the likes of Dangerfield & Golden. Berhe has a knack for making big hits so it will be fun to watch him play "Missile", which he dubbed to be his nickname. I'm not sure what to make of his film as far as safety depth.

On the Bubble:
Everyone. This position is probably the most difficult to predict right now. With so much turnover & influx of talent, its going to take time for the coaches to grasp who fits where. Especially with new subpackages being installed. This opens the door for a pure dog eat dog competition with nobody being safe. Like I've said in previous previews, there is a lot of talk of 3-safety packages this offseason so we could see as many as 5 players kept onboard. We could see a lot of different looks in the secondary. But 2 players will undoubtedly get the axe. It would be sad to see Dangerfield go, but he could wind up on the PS with M-Golden once again.

Outlook: Too difficult to predict what they have with this position right now other than there is a ton of talent. And given the nature of the wide open competition that is likely in-store, I'm very excited to see it play out in camp. This position will likely generate a lot of buzz in the next few weeks so stay tuned.
 

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Position Preview: Specialists

Gone: Colin Holba (LS)

Returning Starters: Chris Boswell (K), Jordan Berry (P), Kameron Canaday (LS). The Wizard of Boz is still in search of his contract, which I expect will get hammered out in the coming weeks. He has been nothing short of phemonenal. Without his leg last year the Steelers could have been 9-7. He had 3-4 game winners in the closing moments of 4th quarters. If it weren't for the awesomeness that is Antonio Brown, he could have been team MVP last season. I hope there aren't as many close games this year, but I'm glad to know that Boz is in our corner. Now pay the man Colbert! Berry has shown off his big leg many times over with punts booming 50-60yds, as well as showing the ability to pin teams within the 20 a fair amount, but his inconsistencies are maddening. '16 season was solid, but last season he stumbled often. Canaday first came onto the team in the '16 offseason when Greg Warren was still around. Fast-forward to '17 and the team oddly spent a 6th Rd draft selection on a LS in Colin Holba. Everyone assumed that was a golden ticket to the 53 given the draft status & Greg Warren's sudden failed physical. Then low & behold Holba gets cut in a very surprising move in favor of Canaday. What a slap in the face to Colbert & Danny Smith who recruited the Holba kid. lol. Canaday previously spent time as the AZ LS.

Returning Depth: NA

New Faces:
Matt Wile. The addition of Wile brings about a unique skillset idea in that he is both a Kicker & Punter. There's almost zero chance he unseats Boz, but I like the idea of saving a spot on the 53 by combining K & P. Only a few teams in the NFL do it, or have done it. Pretty rare. Wile has had the typical path of UDFA specialists in that he has bounced around numerous teams with tryouts and even managed to get called up to a 53 roster in AZ in '16. In the 2017 preseason he punted 13 times & made 1 FG before getting the axe in cutdowns.

On the Bubble:
Berry. He is the only one facing competition in camp within the specialists group. His averages were near the bottom last season. His total punt yards were ranked 31st out of 34, and his average punt was ranked 33rd. Yikes. He ranked 21st with punts inside the 20 so thats decent but not stellar. I think competition is a necessity this year. What makes matters worse is that the team opted to trade away Brad Wing in favor of Berry prior to the '16 season for a 7th Rd pick that they turned into a WR that they barely got any use out of (Demarcus Ayers). Wing has been averaging top 5 in almost every category over the last 2 seasons, whereas Berry only made the top 20 once in '16. Ouch.

Outlook: Only concerned about the Punter position. I'm hopeful that competition gets the '16 version of Berry out of hiding. If not then maybe Wile will give them a better leg.
 

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Position Preview: Running Back

Gone: Terrell Watson, Knile Davis, Trey Williams

Returning Starters: Le’Veon Bell & Roosevelt Nix (FB/RB). Bell & PIT failed to reach common ground on a contract so he will once again play on the franchise tag in what appears to be his final year with the Steelers. He plans to repeat last offseason by skipping training camp and preseason. He will still be the day 1 starter, but I'm curious to see if he struggles in the first few weeks again. Nix is coming off a pro bowl season so I'm expecting nothing but great things from him. Very underrated FB in the NFL.

Returning Depth:
James Conner, Stevan Ridley, Fitzgerald Toussaint. Conner appears to have undergone a big transformation this offseason. He bulked up. I'm very curious to see how much of a share of the offense he gets. With this being Bell's final year I have to wonder if they try to transition the offense to Conner in some capacity. Even in "win now" mode he should get a better share than in '17. Ridley was a late addition last season and helped out down the stretch in December. They waited until April this offseason to resign him so they must have good reason to keep him around. Toussaint is a great locker room & PS guy to have in the fold. He'll likely continue that role & only get called up in emergency situations.

New Faces:
Jaylen Samuels, Jarvion Franklin, James Summers. Samuels was a jack-of-all-trades type gadget player in college. He set the NC state record for career receptions and ranked 2nd in school history in total touchdowns. He played RB, TE & WR. Franklin went to WMU out of the Chicago area. Finished his freshman season as the 1st-ever MAC rookie of the year & offensive player of the year. He shattered the school career rushing mark, and finished 2nd in scoring. He also finished 5th all-time in MAC rushing. His subpar combine hurt his draft stock & thus went undrafted. Could have a sleeper there. Summers went undrafted in 2017 to Arizona. He played QB & RB at ECU.

On the Bubble:
Ridley, Samuels, Toussaint, Franklin, Summers. It appears to be a head to head matchup between Ridley & Samuels for the RB3 position. Position flexibility is a huge plus so Samuels might have the edge there. But Ridley has a lot of experience and given Samuels' TE flexibility (could take Grimble's spot), it could give them reason to keep Ridley around.

Outlook: Bell is once again betting big on himself to produce a career year so that he can cash in once FA opens up next spring. The holdout doesn't inspire confidence, but I think we can safely set out expectations as a repeat of 2017. It will be interesting to see if they give him 400+ touches again. I think Conner eats into that. Also worth noting, if Fichtner rolls out the no-huddle it could open up a lot more touches for guys like Conner & Samuels.

Not that I have any real insight on this, but I think Ben wants more diversity in the OFC and Fichtner will oblige him...I hope it starts week one with Conner getting a nice chunk of the snaps...if it were me, I would actually start him and work Bell in slowly.
 

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Position Preview: Wide Receiver

Gone: Martavis Bryant (traded to OAK), Eli Rogers, Cobi Hamilton, Demarcus Ayers, Sammie Coates, Canaan Severin

Returning Starters: Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster. AB continues to be one of the best players in the NFL. No reason to expect anything less at this point. Madden Curse be damned! Juju is coming off a stellar rookie season and appears to have put the work in this offseason to continue that success. With Bryant out of the way it appears he has secured the #2 spot.

Returning Depth: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Justin Hunter, Marcus Tucker, Justin Thomas. DHB continues to defy the odds and is a well-establish ST-ace. He's a great vet leader type guy and will be difficult for anyone to unseat. There has been a lot of hype surrounding Hunter. Another strong camp should vault him into the Bryant-vacancy discussion. Tucker proved to be a valuable asset on the PS last year. He's strong candidate to take over the slot WR void. Thomas has been an ongoing project. He's a converted QB and is incredibly smart. He won over the coaches in a short time period and is vying for the slot position as well.

New Faces: James Washington, Quadree Henderson, Damoun Patterson, Tevin Jones, Trey Griffey. Washington was their 3rd Rd pick. He was one of the best deep ball WRs in the NCAA last year. And he has come to the same team as his collegiate QB, Mason Rudolph. He has already had strong rookie & OTA camps so I expect some buzz at TC. Henderson was a ST demon at Pitt, and carved out a unique role in the offense as a motion/counter/reverse type runner. He has decent hands so he should push for the slot role as well. Patterson is a small school kid from Youngstown. His numbers didn't put him in the media spotlight, but that had more to do with bouncing around different schools & playing in rub-heavy/traditional offenses that limited his usage. When teams got him the ball, he produced. He has solid ST value as he worked as a cover/gunner guy on kickoffs & punts. He's a smooth route-runner with good hands so keep an eye on him in camp. Jones signed as a UDFA with the Texans back in '15. He spent that year on PS, then signed with KC the following year. He only had 1 catch in the regular season, and it was a short reception that he turned into a 68yd TD. Big play ability, but limited experience as a WR & STer. Griffey, son of HOFer Ken Griffey Jr, was a smaller volume WR in Arizona. He was primarily a RZ target with great vertical catching ability.

On the Bubble: DHB, Hunter, Tucker, Thomas, Henderson, Patterson, Jones, Griffey. 8 guys and probably 3-4 bones. DHB & Hunter seem like locks but are replaceable. The rest are slot-hopefuls and a few that need to carve out a ST role.

Outlook: Clearly the team has focused on retooling their depth, not only to fill the voids but also for ST purposes. Seems like they are looking for the next DHB type role players, as well as the ongoing search for the return guy capable of getting AB off punts. With AB leading the corps this group will remain one of the best in the NFL. JuJu & Washington are sure-handed possession guys but are capable of taking the top off a defense. Seems like both are very capable of being lined up in various positions X/Y/Z which gives the offense a lot of different looks. Bryant & Rogers leave a void, but I'm confident they will find their replacements. There's an outside shot that Rogers resigns as well.

Bryant is a talent, but he's not a stud...needs more routes, more consistency...I think he'll be replaced...Ben publicly pushed for Hunter but it didn't pan out on the stat sheet LY...again I think more diversity in the play calls are in order...I look for more targets his way. AB will get his...he's that good. Juju might not produce a ton more than he did LY, but I still expect a solid season. Rogers is back, giving them another fast twitch guy...curious to see how the young guys fit in early.
 

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Position Preview: Tight End

Gone: Jake McGee (IR - hurt in OTAs), Phazahn Odom

Returning starters:
Vance McDonald. Hearing great things about him this offseason. Finally healthy and has been working like a madman to get himself in better shape. He has high hopes this year to make a huge impact.

Returning Depth: Jesse James, Xavier Grimble. Jesse James continues to prove that he's a well-rounded player with decent hands. He never quite took hold of the void that Heath left, but hes a capable player. Grimble has been kept around for his hybrid/playmaking ability. He's a solid role player with good RZ potential. He's a hard worker but still fairly raw route runner with subpar blocking ability. When used correctly he can help the offense.

New Faces: Ryan Malleck, Pharoah McKever, & Christian Scotland-Williamson. Malleck isn't really a new face since he had a brief stint with the Steelers last offseason, but he was a recent FA acquisition when McGee got hurt in OTAs. Former UDFA signed with NYG. Bounced around the BAL & HOU PS's, and has only been on an active roster once (last December). McKever appears to be another raw playmaker, sort of like Phazahn Odom was last offseason. Mainly used as an in-line route-runner TE (hybrid) at FIU (FL Int), he still found himself blocking even in pass-protection. He has a unique build with a tall frame. As a blocker he used his length & frame really well, and even with a limited route tree he was a load to bring down. He reminds me of a raw Eric Ebron. CSW is a former rugby star that was signed through the NFL's International Pathway Program which enables a team to add & keep 1 addition PS spot. Currently listed as a TE, he could very well transition to O-line with his 6'9 270-lb frame.

On the Bubble: James, Grimble, Malleck, McKever. Before McGee got hurt I was predicting a head to head battle between him & James. That speaks more of McGee's ability than to whether I think James is replaceable or not. James is a serviceable guy that should be locked in this year. That leaves 1 possible spot. As mentioned in the RB preview, Samuels has TE experience and could carve out a role. Not to mention Rosie Nix has that ability as well. They could opt to only keep 2 TEs on the roster, but I am predicting 3. CSW will end up on the PS as part of that additional PS spot granted to the IPP.

Outlook: If McDonald can stay healthy then he will do damage. He proved to be a valuable asset in his limited starts last year. I think James is a solid backup but he's not the playmaker that McDonald is. I'd like to see Grimble continue to step up and find a better role, but we'll have to wait & see how the offense looks under the new OC.

V Mac simply needs to stay on the field...hate to beat a dead horse, but imo JJ and Grimble just need more targets...I'm convinced that JJ is what he's going to be now...it's now or never for Grimble. It will be interesting to see if anyone unseats him.
 
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