Steelers 2-a-days: Dan McCullers’ 7th season, rookie Christian Montano adds center depth

Editor’s note: Leading up to a unique Pittsburgh Steelers training camp staged at Heinz Field this year, the Tribune-Review will be running through the team’s 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2020 season. The breakdown will go through the roster, in mostly alphabetical order, two per day, between June 9 and July 23, a day originally planned to be reporting day for players to camp. (Contract data courtesy spotrac.com)

How much longer can Daniel McCullers stick around? #Steelers https://t.co/timV2gGfJN

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) January 10, 2019

DT DAN MCCULLERS

Experience: seventh season

Contract status: $1.625 million cap hit in 2020, scheduled to be unrestricted free agent in 2021

2020 outlook: Only five players have been with the Steelers longer than McCullers, who has played 236 defensive snaps (the equivalent of about 3½ full games) in his career. His 6-foot-7, 352-pound frame is just too tantalizing to ignore. Truth be told, three decades ago, there was much more of a role for a player such as McCullers to fill. But that doesn’t mean it has vanished completely.

Bottom line: The departure of starting nose tackle Javon Hargrave leaves a void that is filled only partially by trade acquisition Chris Wormley. McCullers seemingly has nine lives when it comes to job security, so the smart bet is that his roster spot is safe. But seventh-round pick Carlos Davis and XFL signee Cavon Walker are looming to try to take it.

New #Steelers rookie Christian Montano had never met the man. The man whose life he saved. It's a story that tells what kind of giving person the Steelers just landed.@TimBenzPGHhttps://t.co/fMoWS8TRGl

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) April 30, 2020

C CHRISTIAN MONTANO

Experience: Rookie

Contract status: $610,833 cap hit in 2020, part of three-year entry deal

2020 outlook: Montano started all 13 games at Tulane last season, where he was a graduate transfer after starting for two seasons at Brown. He was one of two true centers the Steelers added to the organization over the offseason, the other being first-year John Keenoy.

Bottom line: Montano slots in behind J.C. Hassenauer and with Keenoy on the pure-center depth chart, although in game settings Stefan Wisniewski or Matt Feiler likely would slide over from tackle in case of injury to Maurkice Pouncey. But with expanded active roster, gameday roster and practice squad sizes as part of the new collective bargaining agreement that kicks in in 2020, pure centers could be beneficiaries. Also, Montano played some tackle in the Ivy League, so perhaps he can show versatility and compel the Steelers to keep him around.

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