The Pittsburgh Steelers will report to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. this Thursday, July 28th for training camp, where 90 players will compete for the opportunity to join Pittsburgh's final 53-man roster at the end of August. Of course, the vast majority of these slots have already been filled by default, as Landry Jones and Levi Norwood are unlikely to unseat Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown as the NFL's most potent one-two punch.
Though the Steelers are jam-packed with offensive superstars and young defensive talent, there are a few open spots for unproven players to seize over the next three weeks at training camp. Last season, I fell in love with Tyler Murphy, who ultimately appeared in a few regular season games for the Steelers last season. This is who I will be keeping an eye on this season:
But first, be sure to read our ongoing "90 in 90" series, which highlights each of Pittsburgh's current 90 players.
S Ray Vinopal
For reasons that I may never fully comprehend, the Steelers seem to be allergic to players from Penn State, West Virginia University, and the University of Pittsburgh. The team has broken that trend recently by making former Nittany Lion Jesse James the de facto Matt Spaeth of the future and signing former Pitt standout Ray Vinopal to the 90-man roster. We actually wrote about Vinopal a little over a year ago, so he was at least on someone's radar. Vinopal is an exceptional all-around athlete, but he went undrafted in 2015 and never did anything particularly remarkable during his time at Pitt.
So why should I care? Well for one, Pittsburgh's secondary is thinner than Marvin Lewis' hairline. Mike Mitchell was solid last season and both Robert Golden and rookie Sean Davis will likely have the opportunity to compete for the other starting job. Aside from these three dudes, however, you could make a solid case for anyone being worthy of a roster spot. The Steelers will almost certainly carry five safeties into the season, and if you feel comfortable betting on Shamarko Thomas' or Ross Ventrone's job security, then you are a braver man (or woman) than I. Vinopal may never be the next Troy Polamalu or Sean Taylor, but he could prove to be the fourth-best safety in Latrobe.
LB Travis Feeney
Unlike Vinopal, Feeney's path to a potential spot in the final 53 is going to be incredibly rocky. For one, the Steelers boast one of the league's deepest stables of linebackers. Secondly, Feeney, while possessing off-the-charts athleticism, is a little bit too small to be an every-down 3-4 linebacker in the NFL.
So why should I care? While Feeney does lack the functional strength to consistently fight through blocks and get to the quarterback, he is a monster in coverage (he began his career as a safety) and he doesn't miss tackles (he missed just three in 2015 at the University of Washington). I'm not a scout, but I see Feeney as more of a Jaylon Smith or Myles Jack than a Jarvis Jones or Bud Dupree. Regardless, his versatility makes him worth a look down the road. Feeney was also a team captain last season and is a big breast cancer awareness supporter. The Steelers could use as many high-motor, high-character guys as they can find.
RB Daryl Richardson
Barring a successful appeal, RB Le'Veon Bell will miss the first four games of the 2016 season due to missed drug tests. Fortunately, 11-year NFL veteran DeAngelo Williams proved last season that he is more than capable of serving as a workhorse running back in Bell's absence. Behind Williams, however, is a barren wasteland of nothingness. Former University of Michigan standout and 2015 Divisional Playoff scapegoat Fitzgerald Touissant will be the favorite to serve as Williams' primary backup in Weeks 1-4, but I'm keeping an eye on Daryl Richardson.
So why should I care? "Daryl Richardson, Daryl Richardson...you mean the guy who I picked up in the sixth round of my fantasy draft in 2013 because Steven Jackson signed with the Falcons?" Yes, the very same! Despite having exactly zero regular season carries since October of 2013, Richardson is by far the most experienced running back on the Steelers not named DeAngelo Williams. Amazingly, Richardson is only about 20 days older than Touissant, so its not as if he's some burned-out veteran seeking to revitalize his career. I mean, he is seeking to revitalize his career, but at least he's young enough to make it happen. If he plays well in camp, he could easily find his way onto the field for a dozen or so plays per game early in the season.