The Pittsburgh Steelers enter 2017 with the goal of winning a Super Bowl. After an embarrassing loss in the AFC Championship ended their season in 2016 short of their goal, the team knows there have to be obvious roster changes. Some players were already let go, free agents were brought in and draft picks were made. Of course, the team still has plenty of depth, as any Super Bowl contending team should. If everyone is to stay healthy this off-season, who are the five Steelers that contributed in 2016 most likely to get cut before the season in 2017?
Five Pittsburgh Steelers Players From 2016 Most Likely to Get Cut in Preseason
5. Cobi Hamilton
Hamilton is the name most likely gone from the 2017 Steelers. The last time Hamilton was on the field he failed to make three tough receptions in the AFC Championship, including a pair of red zone drops. Many fans put the blame on Hamilton, but the real issue is that the team was so low on wide receivers that they had to resort to him.
That should be different this season. Martavis Bryant appears to be back and committed to staying on the field. The team signed Justin Hunter and drafted JuJu Smith-Schuster, so they clearly understand that they do not plan on getting to the point where they are relying on Hamilton again. Add in Darrius Heyward-Bey, Antonio Brown, Sammie Coates, and Eli Rogers and he would have to light the world on fire in training camp to make this roster. The odds are stacked against him and he will most likely be looking for work in August.
4. Fitzgerald Toussaint
One issue the Steelers are clearly looking into is the health status of Le’Veon Bell. Bell has yet to finish a season healthy. When he is in the game, he is the bell cow, receiving more of a lion’s share of the touches than any back in the league. In fact, DeAngelo Williams missed seven games last season, but the only other back on the roster, Fitzgerald Toussaint, had just 14 carries over the span of the entire 16 game season. Bell does not get a breather.
This could also verily easily be because of Williams, an aging back who broke down after starting in four games to start the season. On top of that, the team clearly had no trust in Toussaint. In the off-season, the Steelers added a pass catching back, Knile Davis, and drafted a power back, James Connor. Connor should take over for Williams, who is not with the team, and Davis should have every chance to supplant Toussaint on the depth chart. It will certainly be an uphill battle for Toussaint to catch Davis.
3. Senquez Golson
Any player who does not step on an actual football field for two full seasons has a low success rate. This is exactly what the Steelers are staring at as their second round pick enters his third season in the NFL. However, the Steelers understand the odds and have essentially moved on.
Since Golson has last played a meaningful down the Steelers have signed Ross Cockrell and Coty Sensabaugh while also drafting Artie Burns, Cameron Sutton, and Brian Allen. Add in that the player Golson was supposed to replace, William Gay, is still on the roster waiting for someone to beat him out and Golson has a lot of climbing to do.
Gay plays mostly in the slot, where Golson projects. However, 2017 free agent signee Sensabaugh and draftee Sutton both profile as slot options. The Steelers are still prepared to move on from Gay as a starter whether it is Golson or not. Carnell Lake was asked of the status of Golson when it comes to the roster and he had mentioned that only special teams will win him a job. With such a crowded cornerback group, and noted special teams names at the safety position it is tough to project Golson making the roster at this point.
2. Arthur Moats
Moats has been a great asset, and the symbol of professionalism off of the field. However, on the field, his roster spot is going to be mighty hot this summer. Moats enter his fourth year with the team but is a free agent next off-season. He is 28 years old and is coming off of the least productive year in the black and gold.
This year the team drafted two outside linebackers, T.J. Watt and Keion Adams. Watt is a lock to make the team, and he will replace the loss of Jarvis Jones. However, Adams was drafted to compete with Moats and Anthony Chickillo for playing time. The team will keep at least one, but likely two of the three. Between the three, special teams are going to play a huge factor.
Last season Chickillo played about 200 more special teams snaps than Moats. He is three years younger, and while he is a free agent next off-season, he is a restricted free agent, which means he is going to be easier to retain. Moats has decreased in special teams snaps every year since joining the team. Adams does not have much experience but is a younger, faster option who is signed on for longer if retained. Moats is going to have a lot of work in front of him to beat out Adams for a potential last roster spot.
1. Sammie Coates
You can blame the finger injury, the groin injury, whatever, Sammie Coates was bad last season. It can go all the way back to training camp when Eli Rogers earned the trust of Ben Roethlisberger in a much quicker way. It went all the way through the preseason, where drops on screens were a common occurrence. This can even go back to the best statistical game of his career, six catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns. This game is also the alleged “finger game”where Ben Roethlisberger targeted him so often he dropped five passes and blamed six catches on 11 easy targets on his fingers.
His issue could very easily be as much mental as it is physical. Martavis Bryant is back and taking the job that Coates had every chance to earn. Smith-Schuster is gunning to push Eli Rogers down the totem pole, and Rogers already passed Coates. Coates has trust to earn, and he has names to hurdle if he wants to stay on this roster long term because they now have names to replace to him.
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