Predicting the Steelers 53-man roster prior to the Week 4 preseason game vs. the Panthers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for their final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers this Thursday, and it’s time to release my predictions for the team’s 53-man roster. (Check out the Week 1 predictions HERE and the Week 2 Predictions HERE and of course Week 3 Predictions HERE)

First, understand these are just my opinions, and you’re entitled to your own. None of us really knows what will happen between now and cut-down day after the preseason has ended.

Secondly, these include all players, even those who aren’t practicing or aren’t allowed to practice, assuming they’ll be on the roster when Week 1 rolls around and preparations for the Cleveland Browns begin.

In all honesty, there weren’t too many tough decisions when putting together these lists, considering there were only a few genuine battles in this year’s training camp. The tough decisions were at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and (possibly) along the defensive line.

Other than that, it felt like business as usual for the Black-and-gold. Obviously, injuries and preseason performances could swap certain players as favorites to make the final roster, but we’ve got to go on the basis of what we know right now.

This is the last time we’ll make these predictions. On this version, I’m only listing those players I feel will make the team. If they aren’t on the list, they didn’t make the team. And the roster count appears after my selection of the players sticking in each position.

Here goes nothing . . .

QB — Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs (3)

RB/FB — Le’Veon Bell, James Conner, Terrell Watson, Roosevelt Nix (7)

WR — Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Eli Rogers, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Sammie Coates, Justin Hunter (13)

TE — Jesse James, Vance McDonald, Xavier Grimble (16)

OL — Maurkice Pouncey, B.J. Finney, Ramon Foster, David DeCastro, Chris Hubbard, Marcus Gilbert, Alejandro Villanueva, Jerald Hawkins (24)

DL — Stephon Tuitt, Cameron Heyward, Javon Hargrave, L.T. Walton, Tyson Alualu, Johnny Maxey (30)

OLB — James Harrison, T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Anthony Chickillo, Arthur Moats (35)

ILB — Ryan Shazier, Tyler Matakevich, Vince Williams, L.J. Fort (39)

CB —William Gay, Artie Burns, Coty Sensabaugh, Cameron Sutton, Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, Brian Allen (46)

S — Sean Davis, Mike Mitchell, Jordan Dangerfield, Robert Golden (50)

K — Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry (52)

LS — Colin Holba (53)