PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Hours before Mike Tomlin’s first regular-season news conference, the Steelers release a first depth chart with Mitch Trubisky the starting quarterback. What might be more shocking is who is listed as the backup.
Mason Rudolph is the second-team quarterback heading into the game against Cincinnati even though Kenny Pickett has been getting almost all of the second-team reps for the last couple of weeks. That sets the table to have Pickett in street clothes for at least the team’s opener. The last first-round draft pick quarterback to not dress for a game his rookie year was Dwayne Haskins in Washington and that was for disciplinary reasons on Week 16.
Trubisky has gotten the majority of the first-team reps ever since the off-season workouts began. You could see that coming, but the Steelers obviously going with Rudolph’s experience (17 NFL games with 10 starts) as the likely backup for Sunday.
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New starting LB
You knew there would be at least one new starter at middle linebacker, but there is only one. Free agent Myles Jack will start coming over from Jacksonville, that was pretty much in stone when his signature dried on the contract. He will start the season with Devin Bush alongside him.
Coaches have said Bush has performed better than it would appear by the stats. They claim he’s been in the right position and plays will start coming his way. Bush will start over Robert Spillane after a competition for the entire training camp.
Starting corners
Jack starting after signing a free agent contract at linebacker, but Levi Wallace is not after signing a two-year deal coming over from Buffalo. The 27-year-old listed as the back-up to Cameron Sutton on the right side with Ahkello Witherspoon as the left side starter with James Pierre as his backup. Witherspoon led the Steelers with three interceptions last season despite only three starts.
Back to the old guard
Left guard was Kevin Dotson’s during most of the team’s OTAs and mini-camp before a late run by Kendrick Green. Last year’s starting center, Green started the first two preseason games at left guard after Dotson’s ankle injury. Now that Dotson is healthier and Green struggled, Dotson is the starter. JC Hassenauer is the back-up center and Green is not listed on the third-string at center.
The rest of the offensive line is what it was in camp with Dan Moore, Jr. at left tackle, Dotson, Mason Cole at center, James Daniels at right guard and Chukwuma Okorafor at right tackle.
Backup RB
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An undrafted free agent that needed to first win a job out of rookie camp, Jaylen Warren is the team’s back-up running back after impressing most of training camp. Benny Snell listed as the third-teamer.
Other Notes
· Zach Gentry is the back-up tight end with Connor Heyward third as Derek Watt is the only fullback listed
· Third-round pick DeMarvin Leal is listed as an ‘or’ on second-team with second-year defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk
· Special teams captain Miles Killebrew is the back-up strong safety to Terrell Edmunds