Editor’snote: Leading up to a unique Pittsburgh Steelers training camp staged at HeinzField 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 that was originally planned to be reporting day for players to camp. (Contract data courtesyspotrac.com)

OT ZACH BANNER

Experience: Fourth season

Contract status: $1.75 million cap hit in 2020, unrestricted free agent after season

2020 outlook: Over his 22 months with the Steelers, Banner has gained plenty of notoriety among the fanbase for his outgoing personality and because his entering games at Heinz Field repeatedly is noted by officials. Officials turning on their mic to proclaim, “Number 72 has reported as eligible” became moments that drew some of the loudest cheers at Heinz Field last season. But will they get that chance again in 2020? After all, if Banner achieves his goal of being a starting lineman, he won’t be checking in as a tight end for tackle-eligible plays.

Banner is part of a mix with Chuks Okorafor and Stefan Wisniewski. Two of the three will start. Matt Feiler virtually is assured of either keeping his spot at right tackle or being moved to left guard. Either Okorafor and Banner would be the former if Feiler plays the latter. Banner had a similarly crowded position battle last year at camp: He finished second to Feiler but ahead of Okorafor and Jerald Hawkins in a purported four-way competition to start at right tackle. Banner bet on himself he’d win this time, electing for a one-year deal.

Zach Banner has even been blocking on QB kneels this year ?? @ZBNFL pic.twitter.com/RW9zOBs8j7

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 15, 2019

QB J.T. BARRETT

Experience: Spent time in 2018 and 2019 on practice squads

Contract status: $610,000 cap hit in 2020, under team control for at least four seasons

2020 outlook: Barrett draws plenty of attention that belies his status as a player who spent a grand total of six days on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad last season. But he is a household name among football fans because he started games for four seasons at Ohio State, winning a national title and playing in other major bowl games in that time.

Barrett’s stellar college resume has meant little in the NFL as he’s been released or waived 14 times in two years. Still, the Steelers thought enough of Barrett that they kept him on the offseason roster after originally signing him on Christmas Eve to help run the scout team in advance of their season finale. But with Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges and Paxton Lynch ahead of him on the depth chart, Barrett faces a steep climb to remain with the team come September.

“So, I mean, yeah, I played college football at a high level… so, I know some people might think (being on an NFL practice squad) would stink – but I know it’s a blessing. Like, I play football for a living!”https://t.co/LVNl8Y0eaW

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) January 7, 2020

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