Will Ahkello Witherspoon be an every-down player for the Steelers in 2022?

Welcome to Going For Two! Over the 45 days leading up to the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 training camp, we will be highlighting two players every day in order to cover the entire 90-man offseason roster. So without further ado, here are today’s final two players:

Ahkello Witherspoon

Photo by David Berding/Getty Images

Position: Cornerback
Age: 27
Year: 6
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 195
Drafted: Round 3, Pick 166, 2017 (San Francisco 49ers)
College: Colorado
Roster Outlook: Lock
Analysis:

Oh, how Steelers’ fans opinions changed with Ahkello Witherspoon by the end of the season. At the midway point, some had already deemed him the biggest mistake of Kevin Colbert’s time as general manager with the Steelers. By the end of the season, after Witherspoon led the Steelers in interceptions, he was a player those same fans claimed the Steelers could not afford to lose moving forward. For this reason, Witherspoon is a lock to make the roster. The biggest question with Witherspoon will be can he be on the field for all the defensive snaps or if he will only be used in certain packages. If his tackling and support in run defense can improve in 2022, Witherspoon could be a player who doesn’t leave the field on defense.

Chris Wormley

Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 28
Year: 6
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 300
Drafted: Round 3, Pick 74, 2017 (Baltimore Ravens)
College: Michigan
Roster Outlook: Highly likely lock
Analysis:

I used a very unusual roster outlook for Chris Wormley. In essence, he is a roster lock. The only situation where I believe he would not be with the Steelers is he is the most tradable player on the Steelers defensive line where there are many more bodies than there are roster spots. With Wormley only costing a new team $2.3 million and only costing the Steelers $600k in dead money, Wormley is only 28 and the most intriguing player for other franchises at the position based on age, experience, and salary. But it is more than likely that the Steelers don’t move a defensive lineman as the return would have to be right. Thrust into a starting position last year due to injuries, Wormley is much better suited to be a rotational piece used in specific situations rather than having to be the main player on the line. It will be interesting to see how much Wormley has to be utilized in 2022 and if his contributions will be more even with less playing time.

Thank you for checking in everyday for another two players for the Steelers, and as we go along click back on previous articles listed below so you don’t miss a thing.