Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith is back on my roster. Who else joined him? (Flickr.com/bmward_2000)
Nearly three weeks ago, I took my first attempt to guess predict the Steelers’ 53 man roster. After many more days of practice and a preseason game under our belts, the fog has lifted a little bit (but still exists, mind you). The new roster with the addition of a practice squad. Critique away.
QB (3): Ben Roethlisberger, Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones
RB (4): Le’Veon Bell, Isaac Redman, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Baron Batch
FB (1): Will Johnson
TE (4): Heath Miller, David Paulson, David Johnson, Michael Palmer
WR (4): Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Markus Wheaton, Jerricho Cotchery
OT (3): Marcus Gilbert, Mike Adams, Guy Whimper
OG (5): Ramon Foster, David DeCastro, Kelvin Beachum, John Malecki, Chris Hubbard
C (1): Maurkice Pouncey
DE (4): Ziggy Hood, Brett Keisel, Cameron Heyward, Al Woods
NT (2): Steve McClendon, Alameda Ta’amu
OLB (4): Jason Worilds, Jarvis Jones, LaMarr Woodley, Adrian Robinson
ILB (4): Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, Vince Williams, Brian Rolle
CB (6): Ike Taylor, Cortez Allen, William Gay, Josh Victorian, Curtis Brown, Isaiah Green
SS (2): Troy Polalmalu, Robert Golden
FS (3): Ryan Clark, Shamarko Thomas, Da’mon Cromartie-Smith
K (1): Shaun Suisham
P (1): Brian Moorman
LS (1): Greg Warren
Return to Play: Matt Spaeth
Practice Squad:
RB: Alvester Alexander
WR: Justin Brown, Reggie Dunn
OL: Joe Long
DE: Nick Williams
ILB: Kion Wilson
OLB: Alan Baxter
CB: Terry Hawthorne
Changes Made
- Placed Matt Spaeth on the returned to play list following his Lisfranc surgery
- Removed Plaxico Burress following his torn rotator cuff surgery (team officially placed him on IR today)
- Removed Nik Embernate following his torn ACL
- Added TE Michael Palmer
- Added G/Chris Hubbard
- Removed Terry Hawthorne and DeMarcus Van Dyke, placed Hawthorne on the Practice Squad
- Added CBs Curtis Brown and Isaiah Green
- Added S Da’Mon Cromartie-Smith
Rationale
Obviously, some of the decisions had to be made because of injury. Only kept four receivers. A little unusual but the team did it last season. Justin Brown and others could make it back on here but a nice catch here and there isn’t enough yet. Must show consistency and that can only come with additional reps.
Considered cutting Baron Batch and carrying only three running backs. Batch shouldn’t receive too much blame for his performance running the ball Saturday running behind an atrocious backup offensive line. But if you’re looking for the most talented 53, Batch is on the bubble. Still kept him because having only three is rare and Batch still received a lot of special teams work. Perhaps a longshot idea, but keep watching out for Alvester Alexander (currently on my practice squad). Had arguably the nicest second half run of any Steeler and looked good in blitz pickup.
Tight end is fairly ugly but Palmer has NFL experience, more that can be said for Nathan Overbay or Peter Titupou. Even if he didn’t look particularly good in Saturday’s game, he’s the best of a bad situation. Still assuming Miller misses some time even if he doesn’t start the year on the PUP.
Determining the backup lineman is even uglier. Whimper, Batiste, Hubbard, and Cheadle (possibly lost to injury) all were horrible. Can’t even sugarcoat it. If someone else wants to see Mike Golic Jr on here instead, it’s hard to disagree. Hubbard is on here because he is running ahead of Golic. Same with Whimper over Joe Long, who didn’t see a snap Saturday.
Even though Hawthorne returned to practice, it’ll be hard for him to make up for so much lost time. He missed a good chunk of the spring as well and is looking like a practice squad candidate. Isaiah Green is not a household name but was the #4 CB in Saturday’s game. Like Josh Victorian this time last year, Green surprises everyone and makes the squad.
