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Will Dan McCullers make it seven straight seasons with the Steelers in 2020?

Breaking down every player one-by-one alphabetically on the Steelers current 90-man roster

Pittsburgh Steelers v Buffalo Bills Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

Moving along to part 55 of our 90-part series — assuming the roster does not change before we are complete — which will break down each player of the Steelers current 90-man roster in alphabetical order. This series will encompass many aspects of each players game and their current role with the team. At the end, I’ll give some projected stats as well as their chances to make the 53-man roster.

Let’s take a look at a long time Steelers defensive lineman:

Dan McCullers

Position: NT
Height: 6’ 7”
Weight: 352 lbs
College: Tennessee
Draft: 6th Round, 215 Overall in 2014


2019 stats

16 Games Played
8 Tackles
0 Sacks
1 Pass Defended


Contract remaining

Expires in 2021
$1,625,000 salary cap number (0.31% of total cap)
$125,000 Dead money
$1,500,000 Savings if cut


Likelihood of making the roster

There are three things guaranteed in life: Death, taxes, and Dan McCullers making the Pittsburgh Steelers roster.

I will not doubt Dan McCullers ability to make this team any longer. The last number of seasons I thought for sure he would be a guy who's name would end up on the chopping block, but like a cockroach in a nuclear apocalypse, he just keeps trucking on. The question now becomes, Can Dan actually make it to 10 seasons?


2020 projection

I think McCullers continues to play in his reserve defensive tackle position. The additions of Chris Wormley and the return of Stephon Tuitt gives off the appearance that McCullers won't see an expanded role but won't be cut either.


Projected stats:

16 Games Played
7 Tackles
1 Sack
1 Pass Defended


Summary

The Steelers defensive line is one of the strengths of this team, and should continue to spearhead one of the NFL’s most dominant defenses. Cameron Heyward, and Stephon Tuitt are two of the leagues premier interior defensive lineman and can be difference makers on every snap. Alualu has been a serviceable component of the roster, Wormley was a run stuffing beast in Baltimore, and McCullers is really big....

Dan McCullers is tied with Tuitt as the teams third most tenured defensive lineman on the current roster behind Heyward, and Tyson Alualu. While McCullers likely will never break out and light up the stat boards with his numbers, he has proven to be a nice depth piece and has carved out a nice little NFL career for himself.


Previously Highlighted

Ola Adeniyi
Marcus Allen
Tyson Alualu
Trajan Bandy
Zach Banner
J.T. Barrett
John Battle
Jordan Berry
Saeed Blacknall
Breon Borders
Chris Boswell
Antoine Brooks Jr.
Isaiah Buggs
Devin Bush
Deon Cain
Kam Canaday
Chase Claypool
Josiah Coatney
James Conner
Anthony Coyle
Jordan Dangerfield
Amara Darboh
Carlos Davis
David DeCastro
Christian DiLauro
Kevin Dotson
Bud Dupree
Eric Ebron
Terrell Edmunds
Trey Edmunds
Matt Feiler
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Zach Gentry
Ulysees Gilbert III
Derwin Gray
Joe Haden
J.C. Hassenauer
Quadree Henderson
Dewayne Hendrix
Cam Heyward
Alex Highsmith
Mike Hilton
Devlin Hodges
John Houston
Anthony Johnson
Diontae Johnson
Jarron Jones
John Keenoy
Tyree Kinnel
Christian Kuntz
Justin Layne
Leo Lewis
James Lockhart
Paxton Lynch