A weekly feature with Steelers Contributing Writer/Editor Brian Batko's thoughts, analysis and commentary on the Steelers. Four downs' worth of insight, and always going for it: no punting allowed.
First down: Been-there, done-that guys. The Steelers' defensive backs have not exactly been a picture of availability to this point. Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey both spent training camp on the PUP list. DeShon Elliott now is on injured reserve. Jaquan Brisker and Brandin Echols missed practice time.
But the Steelers amassed so much veteran help in the secondary that there's bound to be experience on the field Week 1 no matter how the starters shake out. Sure, rookies Daylen Everrette at cornerback and Robert Spears-Jennings at safety made the roster and are waiting in the wings; it's just not likely they'll be needed to contribute from day one.
Because while most of the aforementioned key cogs are ramping back up, beyond those big names, you have the likes of Asante Samuel Jr. at cornerback and Rayshawn Jenkins at safety. Jenkins, in particular, was all over the field in the second preseason game and would not be denied despite being a relatively late addition to the mix, after training camp had already begun.
"I just came in here as, 'Hey, put me in. I can play wherever.' I can play at your dime [linebacker]. I can play strong safety, free safety. I've played nickel in this league," Jenkins said. "With [Elliott] being out, there's obviously a hole, a void in the defense. I'm a guy who's trusted in this league who can come in and fill that void."
Jenkins, 32, has the right size at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds. He has 96 career starts in the NFL, including four in the postseason, and 11 interceptions.
Second down: The defensive line depth is even better than expected. Cam Heyward is Cam Heyward. Keeanu Benton is fresh off a new contract. Derrick Harmon is a second-year first-round pick and Sebastian Joseph-Day was a starter-caliber addition in free agency.
But 2025 fifth-rounder Yahya Black also appears poised to take another step forward in his second season. Rookie Gabriel Rubio was noticeable in camp and preseason action, getting in on 9 tackles, most among Steelers defensive linemen. And, as it turned out, neither Dean Lowry nor Esezi Otomewo got the final spot in the seven-man group.
That went to Kevin Jobity Jr., who must have caught the eye of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. General manager Omar Khan joked that head coach Mike McCarthy would put 53 offensive players on the roster if it were up to him. Graham might keep 53 defensive linemen if he had his druthers, but he'll have to settle for seven, with five of them 25 or under.
Third down: Final thought on the 53. Speaking of the construction of the initial roster, there are always aspects of it that slip through the cracks. Yes, each team is looking for 22 starters and the reserves necessary to back up each position.
But front offices and coaches must account for every scenario on a Sunday (or Monday or Thursday or Friday, and so on). Do you have enough players to run down on kickoff coverage? Do you have 10 guys capable of blocking on punt returns?
Even once you drill down on those particular roles, you don't want players to be put in a precarious predicament. For instance, a defensive back who expels a lot of energy to cover a punt, then has to hop right back into a defensive sub package on the ensuing play. There are also five inactives each game, which means the final few helmets often go to those who can fill in those gaps.
Fourth down: Don't sleep on the practice squad. Maybe we shouldn't even think of it as the practice squad. That's become something of an archaic term.
Those 17 players are more of a procedural extension of the active roster at this point, given how frequently teams utilize gameday elevations and backfill with their own. In fact, for the second year in a row, the Steelers' initial practice squad was almost entirely made up of holdovers from their final roster cuts.
Last year, tackle Dylan Cook and cornerback James Pierre began the regular season on the practice squad. Both finished it as starters. McCarthy has been adamant that it will take more than 48 on gameday, more than 53 on the active roster, maybe even more than the 70 who are currently at practice. Attrition happens. The cavalry continues to develop. There's a transactional, on-paper gap between the makes and the cuts, but that's about it in the modern NFL. Otherwise, it's a fine line.
