State of the Steelers: Final 2023 53-man depth chart prediction
The Pittsburgh Steelers are just hours away from submitting their final roster of 2023. Come tomorrow, we will not only know who's officially a part of the team, but who's staring and who's sitting. So here's a prediction on how things will shake out, with a rookie supplanting a veteran: Note: Players with one asterisk […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are just hours away from submitting their final roster of 2023.
Come tomorrow, we will not only know who's officially a part of the team, but who's staring and who's sitting.
So here's a prediction on how things will shake out, with a rookie supplanting a veteran:
Note: Players with one asterisk (*) represent 2023 draft picks and players with double asterisks (**) represent 2023 undrafted free agents.
| Position | Starter(s) | Backups |
|---|---|---|
Quarterback | Kenny Pickett | Mitchell Trubisky |
Running back | Najee Harris | Jaylen Warren |
Wide receiver | Diontae Johnson | Calvin Austin III |
Tight end | Pat Freiermuth | Darnell Washington* |
Offensive line | Dan Moore Jr. | Broderick Jones* |
Defensive line | Larry Ogunjobi | DeMarvn Leal |
Outside linebacker | T.J. Watt | Markus Golden |
Inside linebacker | Cole Holcomb | Kwon Alexander |
Cornerback | Patrick Peterson | Joey Porter Jr. |
Safety | Minkah Fitzpatrick | Keanu Neal |
Kicker | Chris Boswell | |
Punter | Pressley Harvin III | |
Long snapper | Christian Kuntz | |
Kick returner | Anthony McFarland Jr. | |
Punt returner | Calvin Austin III |
Rookie DT Keeanu Benton was just too good this summer to not start. I know my prior projection had no rookies starting, sticking to the tradition that Pittsburgh typically follows.
But that was before Benton saved his best performance of the preseason for last, going to work against the Falcons and helping pitch the 24-0 shutout.
Pittsburgh will need to start hot out of the gate, and that means playing your best players, something I believe Benton has proved to be a nose tackle.
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Featured image via: © Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
