Upon completing their 53-man roster, the Pittsburgh Steelers front office still has quite a bit of work to do. The regular season kicks off in just over a week, as the black and gold travel to Cincinnati for Week 1 against the Bengals. Until then, this is what the front office still has left to do:
Omar Khan is introduced as the Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager at a press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Friday, May 27, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Complete practice squad
This is the first order of business before continuing with anything else. This year, teams are allowed to have up to 16 members on their practice squad, a significant uptick from years past when it was just 10. With the most recent signing of tight end Justin Rigg, the Steelers have now signed 10 guys to their practice squad. That leaves six spots open, as they will likely be filled within the next day or two.
Determine who to put on IR
When the initial 53-man roster was finalized, it was important to see what injured guys were on it. While Damontae Kazee is headed for the IR, since he was listed on the initial roster, he only has to miss a minimum of four weeks rather than the whole season. Calvin Austin III, Montravius Adams, Arthur Maulet, and Miles Killebrew are the other guys to watch for who the team puts on the IR. That will determine how many open spots they have on the 53-man roster.
Who replaces Kazee and others?
After these first two steps, it's then time to look at who will step into the role of Kazee. He was expected to play a crucial role in this year's defense, stepping in as the No. 3 safety and getting regular playing time. Tre Norwood will see the field quite a bit, but he also plays as a cornerback at times. Killebrew could step into the role of Kazee, but he's been injured throughout training camp and the preseason.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
After claiming Elijah Riley off waivers from the New York Jets over a week ago, the Steelers put him on their practice squad earlier this week. He makes sense in replacing Kazee's spot on the roster and as the fifth safety on the team. The Steelers could certainly just hold onto the four healthy safeties that they have on the roster right now until Kazee returns from injury. Additionally, after deciding who will go on IR, they will have to decide who replaces those roster spots on the 53-man.
Continue search for OL help
The offensive line is the team's glaring weakness heading into the season. Throughout the preseason, the unit racked up penalties and allowed far too much pressure. In the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, they did show some encouraging signs, most specifically James Daniels. It still remains an area of concern though, as they continue to adjust to life with new coach, Pat Meyer.
The front office, led by new general manager Omar Khan, did make a trade for Jesse Davis earlier this week. It remains to be seen whether that will help the unit, though he does have plenty of starting experience and head coach Mike Tomlin expects him to have a role in some capacity. Still, the front office shouldn't stop looking for offensive line help, as that seems to be the notable weakness of this team. Khan and his staff has been quite active since he was hired a few months ago, and that shouldn't stop any time soon.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 2: Jesse Davis #77 of the Miami Dolphins walks off the field after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on January 2, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Dolphins 34-3. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
What are your thoughts on how the Steelers roster is shaping up to be? Should they continue to search for OL help and if so, who? Who will the team replace Kazee with for the time being? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below, yinz!
#SteelerNation
