Editor’s note: Leading up to a unique Pittsburgh Steelers training campstaged 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)

OLB JAMES LOCKHART

Experience: Rookie

Contract status: $612,833 cap hit in 2020, the first of a three-year entry contract

2020 outlook: When it comes time to signing undrafted free agents, the Steelers like to go after players who were highly-rated recruits who, for whatever reason, did not end their college careers worthy of being drafted. That was the case this season, with the likes of inside linebackers John Houston and Leo Lewis. And with Lockhart, who will be an outside linebacker for the Steelers. The 6-foot-2, 263-pound Lockhart was coveted by Alabama but ended up signing with Texas A&M before transferring to Baylor three years later. He started for a top-10 Bears team as a fifth-year senior last year, finishing with six sacks.

Bottom line: Lockhart is one of only six pure outside linebackers on the 90-man roster. The Steelers have at times kept five when the season began — and that was before rosters expanded under the new collective bargaining agreement. That means the numbers could work in Lockhart’s favor, especially if there’s an injury. That assumes, though, he shows NFL-caliber abilities when (if?) camp starts.

QB PAXTON LYNCH

Experience: Five games (four starts) — none since 2017 — since being a 2016 first-round pick

Contract status: $825,000 cap hit in 2020, would be unrestricted free agent after season

2020 outlook: Lynch enters camp as No. 4 on the QB depth chart. The Steelers are carrying five quarterbacks, one more than usual. Lynch spent the final 15 weeks of last season with the Steelers — all but the finale as part of the practice squad. He reportedly was coveted by the XFL until that league folded. Despite his first-round pedigree, the Denver Broncos released him after only two seasons, and his only other NFL game experience was during last preseason for the Seattle Seahawks (who promptly cut him).

Bottom line: Some fans were calling on the Steelers to start Lynch in their season finale last year after the injury to Mason Rudolph left only Lynch and Devlin Hodges as options. Lynch is still just 26 years old but has yet to show he’s an NFL–caliber quarterback. Still, he will be given a chance to jockey for position among the group of Rudolph, Hodges and J.T. Barrett for the two spots backing up Ben Roethlisberger.

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