With greater than a dozen Pittsburgh Steelers starters sitting out tonight’s preseason opener, the main target shifts towards these making an attempt to make the group, 53-man roster or apply squad. Josh Carney already walked by means of 5 bubble gamers. Including onto that, listed here are six sleeper Steelers names both on or outdoors the bubble value watching towards the Jacksonville Jaguars.
TE JJ Galbreath (No. 87)
Galbreath is a reputation I’ve talked about all through the offseason. An thrilling and high quality UDFA addition, he was a small college sleeper who had a productive last season (32 receptions, 469 yards, 4 touchdowns) regardless of lacking 4 video games as a consequence of a shoulder harm. The excitement he developed within the spring carried over into the group’s four-practice acclimation interval. Issues quieted down when the pads got here on, although he made a formidable leaping landing seize earlier this week and is buried down on the Steelers’ depth chart.
A robust in-stadium efficiency may cement his apply squad probabilities and preserve faint hopes of difficult Connor Heyward for the 53 alive. Galbreath should present he can block and will get loads of in-line work realizing Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith gained’t play, whereas Darnell Washington will possible see solely a slice of motion. Galbreath’s faculty tape confirmed want-to and end, however his body is slight and he lacks ideally suited higher physique energy. Particular groups can even be essential. He ought to get burn on a number of items, together with the punt protection group.
Galbreath is a formidable athlete and receiver who must make a play downfield. His probabilities aren’t assured, quarterbacks need to get him the ball, however a giant play may make him a straightforward winner on the finish of the night time.
OT Dylan Prepare dinner (No. 60) & OG/C Max Scharping (No. 64)
Two offensive linemen making an attempt to latch onto one of many last o-line roster spots. Prepare dinner ought to see a ton of left sort out reps, even realizing Broderick Jones and the first-team line (sans LG Isaac Seumalo, who will sit) will play a lot. Calvin Anderson is injured and uncertain to play. Gareth Warren simply returned from harm, and Andrus Peat arrived two days in the past.
Rostered all of 2023, Prepare dinner’s 2024 season underwhelmed and he spent it both harm or on the apply squad. In his third yr with Pittsburgh with zero NFL snaps, that is make-or-break. His coaching camp has been serviceable and the additional reps he’s acquired are clearly helpful. He wants an incredible camp to make sure he makes the roster as sort out depth, both because the No. 4 or No. 3 if Anderson doesn’t return (and assuming no outdoors assistance is added).
Scharping is in the same boat. If McCollum can’t swimsuit up tonight, Scharping will change Frazier because the backup middle. A veteran with NFL expertise, he’s struggled to search out his footing in a single place since being reduce by the Houston Texans in 2022. A veteran prone to face rookies and younger backups, Scharping ought to look considerably higher. If he doesn’t, that’s an issue.
WR Roc Taylor (No. 89)
Taylor has acquired extra fanfare than any Steelers UDFA. He’s had his moments and been the king of the backshoulder fade, together with catching one Thursday to arrange the offense’s solely landing of a half-dozen two-minute drills this camp. Anticipate QB Skylar Thompson to search for him when the 2 share the sector tonight. Taylor is well-built and might speed up.
However can he run a fuller route tree than simply profitable vertically? Can he play on particular groups, one thing he has little resume of. He’s been within the gunner strains and figures to play on a pair items, but when he’s going to have a real likelihood for the 53, he has to supply extra than simply his aspect of the ball. A No. 5 receiver in Arthur Smith’s offense isn’t going to play, so there higher be particular groups worth to fall again on.
EDGE Eku Leota (No. 53)
Rookie Jack Sawyer will begin tonight and play a lot of snaps. As he ought to. He’s been one of the crucial spectacular newcomers in camp and we’ll rapidly conduct an All-22 on him after the sport ends. However Leota will see loads of burn for a group that may functionally have 4 outdoors linebackers (and that assumes DeMarvin Leal, checked for a neck harm Thursday, performs).
Leota has flashed in camp as an undersized rusher with pace to win off the sting. His run protection wants to carry up, however he’s reduce from the same fabric as Nick Herbig. Leota additionally brings a little bit of NFL expertise, almost 300 common season snaps, so preseason motion isn’t going to be too large for him. With out harm, I don’t see a path to the 53-man roster
CB D’Shawn Jamison (No. 17)
With Jalen Ramsey lacking the previous three practices and Donte Kent lacking even longer than that, Jamison went from being squeezed out of reps because the No. 4 slot nook to the No. 2. He’s taken benefit of the second. Regardless of being beneath 5’10 and a listed 184 kilos at his 2023 Texas Professional Day, Jamison performs greater than his dimension. He’s been bodily and rallied downhill on RPOs and the quick-passing recreation whereas beating blocks of veteran Robert Woods.
Even with accidents to Kent and Cory Trice Jr., Jamison has a slim path to the 53. Beanie Bishop Jr. hasn’t been excellent however is comfortably forward of Jamison. That is extra for apply squad functions, however Jamison is approaching sturdy to make a case to stay there when the common season begins.
CB Cameron McCutcheon (No. 38)
Flying beneath the radar all summer season, McCutcheon has seen common taking part in time since Day Considered one of camp. Initially working third-team nook reverse James Pierre, he’s logged a wholesome share of second-team reps as a consequence of harm and veteran relaxation days. Profiling as the large and lengthy outdoors nook Pittsburgh has coveted, McCutcheon is 6’1, 204 kilos with 33-inch arms.
He hasn’t made a ton of notable performs this summer season, however he’s been constant and will see the majority of second-half reps on this recreation. Don’t be shocked if he makes a breakup or two, using his size and dimension unusual for the place.
With out making the checklist too lengthy, right here’s a handful of different names value mentioning: RB Trey Sermon (No. 27), OG Doug Nester (No. 72), NT Domenique Davis (No. 69), ILB Carson Bruener (No. 44), S Sebastian Castro (No. 29), WR/PR/KR Max Hurleman (No. 34).
