Steelers 2020 training camp preview: Breaking down the defense

Defensive linemen (12)

97 Cameron Heyward, 6-5, 295: After not starting until his third season, is Heyward quietly carving one of the all-time best careers for a Steelers defensive lineman? He’s been first-team All Pro two of the past three seasons, totaling 29 sacks in that time.

91 Stephon Tuitt, 6-6, 303: When healthy, Tuitt shows flashes of dominance. But he has yet to play a full 16-game season since his rookie year of 2014. Limited to six games last season (pectoral injury), his availability is more vital to the Steelers with Javon Hargrave gone.

94 Tyson Alualu, 6-3, 304: Alualu has been exactly what the Steelers hoped he would be when they signed him as a 30-year-old three years ago: a reliable and versatile backup with strong intangibles who is satisfied with his role. There’s a chance he will be the No. 1 nose tackle.

95 Chris Wormley, 6-5, 300: Acquired via a swap of late-round draft picks in a rare trade with the Baltimore Ravens, Wormley is on an expiring contract, so his stay in Pittsburgh might not be long. But he seems to be a good fit to fill in along the line.

93 Dan McCullers, 6-7, 352: Only five players have been with the Steelers longer than McCullers, a sixth-round pick in 2014 who is a good hole-plugging run-stopper with an occasional knack for rushing the passer. He doesn’t play much, but he has his niche.

96 Isaiah Buggs, 6-3, 295: The Steelers have drafted a defensive lineman in the late rounds six of the past eight years. Buggs has the look of maybe developing into the best of them. He never looked out of place in 75 snaps over nine games as a 2019 rookie.

73 Carlos Davis, 6-2, 320: If Davis could follow the template of Buggs, making the active roster and appearing in about half the games, that would be a successful rookie season for a seventh-round pick. Davis appears to have versatility to play different spots.

99 Henry Mondeaux, 6-4, 280: Though he never spent a day on the active roster, Mondeaux was one of only two nonexempt players to spend the entire 2019 season on the Steelers practice squad. It is a tough position room to get noticed in, but Mondeaux has experience in it.

65 Josiah Coatney, 6-4, 325: Coatney reportedly got the largest signing bonus of any of the Steelers’ undrafted free agents ($15,000). A three-year starter in the SEC, he played along the Ole Miss 3-4 line and is a prime candidate for the 2020 practice squad.

67 Calvin Taylor, 6-9, 310: A late bloomer at Kentucky who finished second in the SEC in sacks, Taylor has enough size and track record that the Steelers are hopeful they might have found a player on the undrafted free agent market. His rookie ceiling, though, is practice squad.

79 Cavon Walker, 6-2, 278: Walker led the XFL in sacks with 4 ½ in five games this past spring. The Steelers have tended to take fliers on the standouts of lower-level pro football leagues. A former linebacker at Maryland, perhaps Walker is finally fitting into his DL body.

40 Dewayne Hendrix, 6-4, 270: A two-year starter at Pitt, Hendrix spent last year’s camp with the Miami Dolphins and on three teams’ practice squads during the regular season. He also played in the XFL.

Outside linebackers (6)

90 T.J. Watt, 6-4, 252: After finishing third for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Watt has established himself among the league’s premier defensive players just three years into his career. He will be due for a massive contract extension this coming offseason.

48 Bud Dupree, 6-4, 269: Dupree had a career year (11 ½ sacks) at the right time, turning a $9.23 million fifth-year option into a $15.8 million franchise tag for 2020. Signs point to this being his final season with the Steelers, though.

56 Alex Highsmith, 6-4, 242: Is Highsmith, a rookie third-round pick, Dupree’s heir apparent? The Steelers are convinced he has the requisite tools and makeup, but his resume thus far comes from Charlotte of Conference USA. The jockeying for the No. 3 OLB job is an interesting one.

92 Ola Adeniyi, 6-1, 248: Adeniyi enters camp as the top backup to Watt and Dupree on the edge. His third season in the organization, Adeniyi adapted well to a special-teams role last season, and he has shown pass-rushing ability during the preseason and in practice settings.

51 Tuzar Skipper, 6-3, 246: With five sacks during limited preseason action over four games, Skipper was last year’s camp darling after making the team via tryout at rookie camp. But he was lost to the New York Giants on a waiver claim and then ended up back with the Steelers.

49 James Lockhart, 6-2, 263: Lockhart began at Texas A&M but ended his college career with six sacks for a top-10 Baylor team last season. There aren’t too many numbers in the OLB room for the Steelers, improving the chances Lockhart sticks.

Inside linebackers (6)

55 Devin Bush, 5-11, 234: Bush provided no reason to believe the Steelers weren’t justified in trading up into the top 10 to draft him last year. But that status suggests an ascension to stardom at some point. Will we see it in Year 2?

98 Vince Williams, 6-1, 233: In his eighth season after being a sixth-round pick, Williams has established himself as a leader of the defense. With Mark Barron’s release, Williams’ playing time likely will increase.

54 Ulysees Gilbert, 6-0, 230: Gilbert has a golden opportunity to seize the top backup job at inside linebacker. It is his for the taking, and that would put him one step away from the field. His skills flash during practice settings and on special teams.

49 Robert Spillane, 6-1, 229: Spillane slotted into a prominent special teams role late last season, and the loss of Tyler Matakevich in free agency would seem to heighten Spillane’s role there. He also could be a backup linebacker.

42 Leo Lewis, 6-2, 245: It was a mild upset that the Steelers did not draft an inside linebacker. They did, though, sign two of their 10 undrafted free agents at that position. Lewis was a high-profile recruit to Mississippi State who seems to have all the tools.

45 John Houston, 6-3, 220: Houston is about on the same line as Lewis: an undrafted free agent who was a highly regarded recruit who started for three seasons at a high-level in college. If he shows enough at camp, no reason he can’t make the practice squad.

Safeties (7)

39 Minkah Fitzpatrick, 6-1, 207: The deal that sent a first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Fitzpatrick last September could end up the best and most consequential in-season trade in franchise history. The Steelers have Fitzpatrick at a discount salary for two more seasons.

34 Terrell Edmunds, 6-1, 217: Edmunds takes a lot of criticism for his lack of splash plays in two seasons. He is likely the most average of the Steelers’ defensive starters. But he has been far from bad, and if he wasn’t a first-round pick most would be satisfied with Edmunds’ play.

25 Antoine Brooks, 5-11, 210: An intriguing late-round pick, rookie Brooks could contribute in subpackages and immediately slots high in the pecking order as perhaps the top backup safety and as a dime linebacker.

37 Jordan Dangerfield, 5-11, 199: Dangerfield’s association with the Steelers dates to 2014. He has endeared himself to coaches and teammates as a special-teams stalwart and reserve safety. He will turn 30 late this season. As long as he hasn’t lost a step, his job is safe.

27 Marcus Allen, 6-2, 215: This is Year 3 for the former Penn State playmaker. It is likely Allen begins camp as the primary backup at safety and a primary option at dime linebacker. But there are many options for those roles, so he will need a strong showing.

21 John Battle, 6-0, 201: Battle started parts of three seasons for LSU but went undrafted after a subpar showing at the combine last year. He spent all of the regular season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad. He will need to show some special-teams skills to make the team.

29 Tyree Kinnel, 5-11, 210: Another of the nine former XFL players the Steelers signed, Kinnel was a two-year starter at Michigan who spent 2019 rookie training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals. Can he follow in the footsteps of last year’s former AAF safety who started Week 1 (Kameron Kelly)?

Cornerbacks (10)

23 Joe Haden, 5-11, 195: At age 30 last season, Haden did not show any signs of slowing down, earning his first Pro Bowl berth in five years after having five interceptions and playing all 16 games for the first time since his rookie season (2010).

22 Steven Nelson, 5-11, 194: Nelson signed the biggest contract in Steelers unrestricted free-agent history last year, and he lived up to it, showing he deserved to be viewed as a No. 1 CB. Teaming him with Haden gives the Steelers a strong, reliable veteran tandem.

28 Mike Hilton, 5-9, 184: Hilton has been the Steelers’ slot DB for the past three seasons. He is due to become an unrestricted free agent in the spring, so 2020 has major implications for the undersized-but-tenacious tackler.

20 Cameron Sutton, 5-11, 188: There were times last season when Sutton was threatening to leap Hilton on the depth chart. Sutton seems to have the trust of the coaching staff and generally has performed well when given an opportunity. But he has played sparingly in three seasons.

31 Justin Layne, 6-2, 192: As third-round pick last year, Layne showed signs he could develop into a quality NFL CB even if he didn’t play a regular-season snap there. The problem is finding a path onto the field in what suddenly is a deep group.

35 Alexander Myres, 5-11, 192: Myres was the Steelers’ top target in the undrafted free agent market last year. An undisclosed illness at the start of training camp derailed plans, but Myres was back with the Steelers by October and spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.

24 Breon Borders, 6-0, 189: Borders played 11 games last season for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington but joined his sixth team since being a 2017 undrafted free agent when the Steelers signed him this spring. He will need to show special-teams ability to make it as a reserve in Pittsburgh.

38 Trajan Bandy, 5-9, 186: Bandy declared for the draft a year early but was not picked, in part because of his size. But perhaps he is the next Hilton: a quick and scrappy tackler. Maybe, like Hilton, a year on the practice squad could lead to a future role.

26 James Pierre, 6-2, 185: Pierre ended up at Florida Atlantic after academic issues and went undrafted after declaring a year early. He has some speed to pair with that obvious size, plus he made some plays in college. Pierre seems a prime practice-squad candidate.

33 Arrion Springs, 5-10, 208: A three-year starter at Oregon who went undrafted, Springs spent his rookie 2019 season with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers organizations. Springs played in the XFL before ending up on the Steelers’ 90-man roster. He is competing for a practice-squad spot.