3 Steelers who won’t be on the roster after training camp

As the Steelers look to make the leap in the 2023 season, these three players might not make it through the end of training camp with Pittsburgh. 

There are never not high hopes for the Pittsburgh Steelers based on the track record of head coach Mike Tomlin since he took over patrolling the sidelines in the Steel City, but they are a bit higher than in the past few years coming into the 2023 season.

With the hopeful ascension of Kenny Pickett behind an improved offensive line and with a deepened group of weapons around him to go with one of the league’s best defenses that also made substantial upgrades in terms of depth and quality, particularly in the secondary, the Steelers should have a chance to massively improve on their 9-8 finish that saw them miss out on the playoffs a year ago.

However, as these additions and improvements have been made, it’s likely pushed a few players onto the wrong side of the chopping block. Taking that in mind, these three Steelers won’t have a place on the roster by the time training camp wraps up.

Note: All cap figures are courtesy of Over the Cap.

Steelers: 3 players who won’t be on the roster after training camp

3. Montravius Adams, IDL

To say that Montravius Adams was far from an asset on the interior of the Steelers defensive line last season would be a bit of an understatement, all told.

The former Packers draft pick graded out as the 105th-best player at the position in the NFL out of the 127 qualifying defensive lineman according to PFF (subscription required). Even with a number of underperformers on the roster in Pittsburgh, he stood out as being an extreme non-factor for that group.

For a Steelers defensive front that has a ton of juice, weak spots like what Adams was a year ago really stand out in a major way. But the situation has changed now with Larry Ogunjobi back in the fold, the possibility with newcomer Breiden Fehoko, and the arrival of second-round pick and potential game-wrecker Keeanu Benton.

Unless things go extremely poorly, it should be Cameron Heyward, Ogunjobi and Benton as the starters with DeMarvin Leal, Fehoko and Isaiahh Loudermilk in some combination serving as the primary backups. Additionally, Pittsburgh can recoup just under $1 million cap space by moving on from Adams.

With better options now on the roster combined with his lack of performance last season when given the opportunity, it would be shocking if Adams was on the roster in Week 1 than if he were cut before the end of the training camp.