The Pittsburgh Steelers released their first depth chart on Tuesday. Historically, the Steelers depth chart version 1.0 means very little in terms of who will end up starting when Week 1 rolls around. Still, there are some conclusions that can be drawn from the first installment. Below are some of the biggest takeaways from the Steelers initial depth chart.
Biggest Takeaways From Initial Steelers Depth Chart
Rookies Wait Their Turn
Typically, the biggest changes to the Steelers first depth chart of the season come via their rookie class. Under Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh has been known to bring on their rookies slowly, sometimes too slowly (see Joey Porter’s limited role until Week 6 of his rookie season). While the Steelers rookies have raised their stock in a big way during training camp, the first depth chart knocked them back down a peg.
Pittsburgh’s first two picks in the draft, offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and center Zach Frazier, entered training camp expecting to be Week 1 starters. They are both still likely to be starters, especially Fautanu, but they both officially come in as backups. In the Steelers first preseason game against the Houston Texans, expect Dan Moore Jr. and Broderick Jones to be the starting tackles, and Nate Herbig to be the starting center. This can and likely will change before the regular season kicks off, as long as Fautanu and Frazier perform to their abilities throughout the preseason.
Beanie Bishop Leaves No Doubt
Undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop has turned heads throughout training camp. He entered training camp expecting to be in a tight battle for the starting slot cornerback position. It hasn’t taken long for Bishop to establish himself as the clear top dog in the position. As previously mentioned, Pittsburgh is known to bring their rookies along slowly. So, for Bishop to already have the number one spot on the Steelers depth chart locked down shows how impressed the coaching staff has been with him. He will be the starter at least until Cameron Sutton returns from suspension; after that, Bishop will still have a key role on the defense if he delivers during his time as a starter.
Brandon Aiyuk Needs to be a Steeler
In case you somehow forgot, the Steelers depth chart release served as a quick reminder of how poor their wide receiver room is. Van Jefferson has had a solid training camp, easily solidifying himself as the team’s WR2 along the way. However, a team hoping to make a run at the Super Bowl needs to have a better WR2 than Jefferson. Further, they need to have a better supporting cast than Calvin Austin III and Quez Watkins.
The Steelers have reportedly been working hard to acquire Brandon Aiyuk from the 49ers. If they are successful, that move would fill the biggest remaining hole on their team. A receiver trio of Aiyuk, Jefferson, and George Pickens, with Austin and rookie Roman Wilson sharing time in the slot, would be a solid group.
With Arthur Smith taking over and their rebuilt offensive line, Pittsburgh will look to be a run-heavy offense this year. That might be why they haven’t prioritized building out a complete receiver room. This is still the NFL in 2024, though. Teams who can’t pass the ball effectively will not be Super Bowl contenders. The addition of Aiyuk would go a long way toward Pittsburgh feeling confident in their aerial attack.
Main Photo: [Barry Reeger] – USA Today Sports
