Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2019 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly alphabetical order, (at least) two per day, between June 14 and July 26.
DL STEPHON TUITT
Experience: 6th season
Contract status: $13.64 million cap hit in 2019, signed through 2021
2019 outlook: Tuitt has the Steelers’ second-biggest salary-cap hit this season, the most for a nonquarterback. His compensation is not at all out of line by NFL standards. However, that is quite the financial commitment for a player who has yet to be given Pro Bowl honors. One reason for that is he’s been limited to between 12-14 games every season since playing a full 16 as a rookie in 2014. If Tuitt can stay healthy — he missed some of this spring’s organized team activities because of injury — is 2019 his breakout nationally?
OT ALEJANDRO VILLANUEVA
Experience: 5th accrued season
Contract status: $8.39 million cap hit in 2019, signed through 2020
2019 outlook: Villanueva is one of the Steelers’ greatest success stories in developing unheralded talent. This will be his fifth season as the Steelers’ starter at the critical position of left tackle, and two of those ended in the Pro Bowl. Another strong season could earn Villanueva a lucrative extension next summer, when he’ll be 31 years old. Villanueva has started all 58 games since he took over at left tackle early in the 2015 season. He did not miss any of the Steelers’ 1,116 offensive snaps last season.
Harking back to his Army Ranger training in a snowy mountain range in mid-winter, #Steelers Alejandro Villanueva said the cold, hunger and exhaustion reminded him to be grateful for the life he has https://t.co/0oQeleyqst
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) May 12, 2019
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