The Pittsburgh Steelers open training camp for the 2020 NFL season on July 28 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The Steelers finished the regular season 8-8 and in second place in the AFC North, but missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Pittsburgh returns 23 starters from that team as well as head coach Mike Tomlin and coordinators Randy Fichtner (offense), Keith Butler (defense) and Danny Smith (special teams). Here's a 53-player roster projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges.
The Steelers have two former first-round quarterbacks in training camp, but only one will make it the final roster. Roethlisberger and Rudolph are solidified as the No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks on the roster. Expect last year's part-time folk hero Hodges to edge out Paxton Lynch for that last spot in the position group. Hodges has more experience in the Steelers' system than Lynch, who spent part of the season on the practice squad. Lynch would have benefitted from more time with new quarterbacks coach Matt Canada during OTAs and minicamp, but he still has an opportunity to push Hodges in training camp.
RUNNING BACK (5): James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, Benny Snell Jr., Anthony McFarland Jr. and Trey Edmunds.
If Conner remains healthy for the bulk of the season, he'll be the Steelers' featured running back. Behind him, the Steelers will round out the room with a mix of backs who possess different running styles complementary to Conner's aggressive bruiser mentality. Snell is most similar to Conner and could be the top fill-in choice if Conner goes down. Samuels' versatility is something the Steelers can capitalize on with Roethlisberger's return, while McFarland brings an element of pure speed and playmaking that the group lacks. Trey Edmunds, brother of Terrell Edmunds, also gets a roster spot for his special teams skills.
FULLBACK (1): Derek Watt.
The Steelers rarely used a fullback last season -- former fullback Roosevelt Nix played just 34 snaps as he dealt with a knee injury -- and brought in Watt during free agency primarily for his special teams acumen. But if they run any fullback sets this year, Watt will be their guy.
WIDE RECEIVER (5): JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Ryan Switzer, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool.
Like the running back spot, the Steelers cycled through a number of end-of-the-roster wide receivers last season as the marquee guys like Smith-Schuster dealt with injuries. But because of the pandemic-altered offseason, those players won't have much opportunity to get a spot on the 53-man roster. Switzer, whose position is most in jeopardy since Johnson took over return duties, still has the edge for a roster spot over the rotating cast of receivers because of his chemistry with Roethlisberger and experience in the slot.
TIGHT END (3): Vance McDonald, Eric Ebron and Zach Gentry.
Ebron was the Steelers' marquee addition in free agency, and with 27 career touchdowns and more than 3,000 receiving yards, he's an upgraded offensive threat for the position. On the verge of a Pro Bowl nod in 2018, McDonald suffered without Roethlisberger in 2019. His targets dropped from 72 to 55 in 2019, and he had just 273 receiving yards, down from 610 a year ago. Ebron's addition may not return McDonald's numbers to 2018 form, but he will make the tight end position more productive as a whole. Gentry, a fifth-round pick in 2018, played just 51 snaps last season, but the Michigan product will get a roster spot as the Steelers continue to develop him.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Alejandro Villanueva, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Matt Feiler, Chukwuma Okorafor, Zach Banner, Kevin Dotson, Stefen Wisniewski and Derwin Gray.
With the departure of Ramon Foster, the starting five will look a little different this season. Matt Feiler is projected to slide to left guard, leaving the door open for a new starter at right tackle. Banner and Okorafor are in the mix for that spot, as is free-agent acquisition Wisniewski. After a de facto redshirt year, Gray, a 2019 seventh-round pick, will have an edge in the roster spot battle over the team's XFL additions because of his familiarity with the system.
DEFENSIVE LINE (6): Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu, Dan McCullers, Isaiah Buggs and Chris Wormley.
Heyward and Tuitt headline the position group, and Alualu is in the best position to move into a more pivotal role with the departure of Javon Hargrave. Seventh-round draft pick Carlos Davis Jr. and XFL standout Cavon Walker just miss the cut. Rookies will have a hard enough time this season in the absence of in-person rookie minicamp and OTAs, and the Steelers will likely prioritize veterans for roster spots.
LINEBACKER (8): T.J. Watt, Vince Williams, Devin Bush, Bud Dupree, Ulysees Gilbert III, Ola Adeniyi, Alex Highsmith and Robert Spillane.
Four of these positions have been solid since the 2019 season ended, and the last four roster spots will go to players filled with untapped potential. With Dupree and Watt playing nearly all of the outside linebacker snaps, the backup OLBs will solidify their roster spots with their special teams roles. Adeniyi played in 222 special teams snaps last season -- good for fourth-highest on the team -- and 2020 third-round pick Highsmith figures to be a key special teams contributor. Gilbert III, a 2019 sixth-round pick, ended last season on IR, but is a strong candidate to pick up more playing time at inside linebacker following the release of starter Mark Barron. He'll compete with Spillane, who played 168 special teams snaps, for playing time on defense.
SECONDARY (10): Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Mike Hilton, Justin Layne, Cameron Sutton, Jordan Dangerfield, Marcus Allen and Antoine Brooks Jr.
The Steelers return every starter in the secondary, including budding superstar Fitzpatrick and Pro Bowl corner Haden. Like the linebackers, the battle for the final roster spots will come down to special teams ability. Dangerfield is indispensable on special teams, playing 71% of snaps a year ago -- second to only Tyler Matakevich. Hybrid safety Brooks also has promise as a special teams contributor in coverage. Allen wasn't a factor on special teams last season, and was a healthy scratch for most of the season. But he has potential as a third safety.
SPECIALIST (3): Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry and Kameron Canaday.
After a bounce-back season for Boswell, the Steelers will hold the status quo for the specialists. Boswell made 93% of field-goal attempts and all of his extra-point attempts in 2019, a significant improvement from making 65% of field goals in 2018 and 89.6% of extra-point attempts.