Predicting the next 5 players the Steelers will cut with roster cuts looming

One of the changes for all 32 National Football League organizations in 2021 is how the teams will handle trimming their offseason roster. The offseason roster starts with 90 players, and it used to be trimmed from 90 to 75, and then 75 to 53.

Not anymore. Now, after Week 1 of the preseason teams have to cut their rosters from 90 to 85. After Week 2 of the preseason it goes from 85 to 80, and after the preseason is when the roster needs to be set at 53 players.

That’s right, the Steelers need to trim their roster from 85 to 80 today, Tuesday August 24th. With that said, Dave Schofield and I decided to predict the five players who will be let go. We have vastly different lists, and different reasons for those lists.

Take a look at the lists below, and our analysis for why we made those predictions:

Jeff Hartman

TE Marcus Baugh
RB Tony Brooks-James
DE T.J. Carter
S Donovan Stiner
LB Jamar Watson

Analysis: I don’t know what kind of analysis I can provide here, not after my last week’s predictions were so awful. Out of the five players who were released last week, guess how many I got right? That’s right, ZERO. So, take what I say, suggest or predict with a giant grain of salt with these predictions.

I don’t see a need to keep Baugh around, not with Zach Gentry and Kevin Rader playing well, nor do I see a need for another running back with Benny Snell hopeful to return to the field this Friday night. The rest of the crew just seems to be the odd man out at their respective positions. I could be wrong, and likely am, but it won’t be the first, or the last time.

Dave Schofield

RB Tony Brooks-James
WR Tyler Simmons
LB Jamar Watson
DE T.J. Carter
S Donovan Stiner

Analysis: Wow. I did my list on my own and came in to add it to the article only to find that Jeff and I had four of the five same players. With him totally whiffing last week, this now has me concerned. At least I had one selection right in the first round of cuts and now have a standard to uphold. I went with dropping another wide receiver because of the excess the Steelers have and Simmons has only been targeted once (much like Matthew Sexton, but he also offers value as a returner). Yes, Simmons’ one reception was a touchdown, but he hasn’t been used since the Hall of Fame Game. For most of these players, it’s been about their lack of usage and performance over the last two games. I dropped Brooks-James over Gurriero because I have him as a sleeper to make the practice squad. I would have added a special teams player, but I don’t think either of those battles are set in stone at this time. But maybe they are.

What do you think of these predictions? Let us know your predictions in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes on the Steelers as they prepare for the 2021 regular season.