The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially completed the toughest stretch of camp and will have their first preseason game tomorrow (Aug 11) against Tampa. 

So with that in mind, here's a look at my latest 53-man roster projection before game one and with a special nugget on a WR that just received Kenny Pickett's blessing:

Note: Players with single asterisk (*) are 2023 draft picks and players with double asterisks (**) are 2023 undrafted free agents.

Quarterback (3)

IN: Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph
OUT: Tanner Morgan**

The skinny: Kenny Pickett has been solid to start camp as has Mitch Trubisky. Mason Rudolph has dominated third-team reps even if Tanner Morgan has looked good in what little burn he's received. In the end, Rudolph's experience will be too much and I expect he holds off Morgan, creating a replica of last year's quarterback room.

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Running back (4)

IN: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Anthony McFarland Jr, Connor Heyward
OUT:  Greg Bell, John Lovett, Darius Hagans**

The skinny: Heyward has played fullback, running back, and tight end this camp, making him easier for me to position in the backfield. Harris is the obvious headliner, but Warren and McFarland have stood out as third down backs. 

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Wide receiver (6)

IN: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson II, Calvin Austin, Hakeem Butler, Gunner Olszewski
OUT:  Jordan Byrd**, Dan Chisena, Dez Fitzpatrick, Cody White, 

The Skinny: The race for the last one to two spots in the wide receiver room has been of the best battles to watch this camp. I project the Steelers to carry six instead of five WRs, because of that, including Gunner Olszewski, who received a terrific omen from Kenny Pickett earlier this week:

“He’s reliable,” Pickett said. “He shows up every day. Whatever position he’s at, he knows all of them, and he’s gonna stick his nose in there in the run game. I have a ton of great things to say about Gunner."

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Tight end (3)

IN: Pat Friermuth, Darnell Washington*, Zach Gentry
OUT: Rodney Williams

The skinny: Whether Heyward is officially listed as a back or a tight end is semantics, but he and the three above are locks to make the team. Rodney Willams had a great grab yesterday and will surely find work elsewhere, even if it's not in Pittsburgh. 

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Offensive line (10)

IN: Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chukwuma Okorafor, Dan Moore Jr., Kevin Dotson, Nate Herbig, Le'Raven Clark, Kendrick Green
OUT: Spencer Anderson*, Dylan Cook, William Dunkle, Ryan McCollum

The skinny: There's a real possibility that Kendrick Green won't make the roster, but why has he run so many plays as a fullback, showing off his athleticism and pass-catching? It was one thing when Matt Canada was running practice, but he's been featured multiple times this week and I believe will find a spot on the roster. 

The rest of the group is basically cemented. 

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Defensive line (6)

IN: Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton*, Larry Ogunjobi, Breiden Fehoko, DeMarvin Leal, Montavius Adams
OUT: Isaiahh Loudermilk, Armon Watts, Johnathan Marshall, James Nyamwaya** Manny Jones

The skinny: Since it was just too hard to choose only five receivers, I went with six, meaning someone down the line was bound to be cut, and that comes by way of the defensive line and with Loudermilk. 

The defensive front is both deep and talented, so while Loudermilk is a solid backup, they can afford to be without his services. 

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Outside linebacker (4)

IN: T.J Watt, Alex Highsmith, Markus Golden, Nick Herbig*
OUT: David Perales** Quincy Roche, Toby Ndukwe**

The skinny: Top to bottom there is an argument this position group is the strongest on the team, especially given the camp that Highsmith and Herbig have had. Those two have wreaked havoc on the team's tackles, and along with T.J. Watt form a trio I would put up against anyone in the league. 

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Inside linebacker (4)

IN: Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson, Kwon Alexander
OUT: Nick Kwiatkowski, Tanner Muse, Chapelle Russell

The skinny: While this group has been one of my main concerns when it comes to Pittsburgh's roster, the new additions of Holcomb, Roberts, and Alexander have brought an intensity and physicality that was foreign to the unit prior to their arrival. 

How do they hold up in coverage? That's the biggest question. 

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Cornerback (6)

IN: Patrick Peterson, Joey Porter Jr.* Levi Wallace, James Pierre, Chandon Sullivan, Elijah Riley
OUT: Duke Dawson, Madre Harper, Chris Wilcox, Luq Barcoo, Isaiah Dunn

The skinny: I originally projected Cory Trice Jr. to make the roster, but following his season-ending injury, that allows Riley to slide in, as his ball skills have shined on the backend of the roster. 

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Safety (4)

IN: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Keanu Neal, Tre Norwood
OUT: Miles Killebrew, Kenny Robinson, Trenton Thompson, Jalen Elliot

The skinny: Given the durability of the safety position in this camp, there's a possibility that Pittsburgh carries a fifth safety, which would likely go to Killebrew. 

Tre Norwood has had ample opportunities with Kazee, Neal, and Fitzpatrick all missing time for different reasons, and has made the most of it. 

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Special Teams (3)

IN: Chris Boswell, Pressley Harvin, Christian Kuntz
OUT: Braden Mann, BT Potter**, Rex Sunahara

The skinny: The battle for Punter has been intriguing throughout camp, but Harvin has been more consistent and often recorded better hang time and kicked the ball further. 

As for Potter and Sunahara, the kicker and long snapper position is basically a lock with Boswell and Kuntz respectively. 

Featured image via: © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports