Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ

Aug 28, 2019 By Jim Wexell for The 6 min read

EveryoneÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ doing it — kind of like mock drafts anymore, these 53-man rosters.

Anyway, I’m doing a 52-man roster. Gotta keep one spot open for tonight, right? Then I can write all day Friday about who should fill that last spot. Oh, the clicks!

But hereÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ my — not so much my prediction — but hereÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ what I would do. And since this team fancies itself a championship contender, I’ll lean to vets who can help now when in a tie with upside.

QB — Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Joshua Dobbs.

Notes: Duck Devlin made a couple of unbelievable throws the other day and I’m actually starting to agree with the fan base on this alleged nobody out of Samford. People are making good points, and I watch him more closely and see him flip something sidearm to a back who takes it 20 and I can’t help but like him. But I’ll stay resolute in Dobbs for a number of reasons. I’m thinking I can always call the Duck back up. And if heÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ claimed on waivers, I’ll enjoy watching him from afar. I really will.

RB — James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, Roosevelt Nix, Trey Edmunds.

Notes: Benny Snell can still make the 53 because my last spot goes to the best special-teams player tonight, and SnellÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ been pretty good at it. But my choice of Trey Edmunds has to do with his professional pass-blocking. I still don’t trust Samuels in that capacity, and if Conner is hurt in-game I’m going to want Edmunds out there in pass pro. It might save one third down in one key game, and as we saw last season one bad turn can ruin a season.

WR — JuJu Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Ryan Switzer, Diontae Johnson, Diontae Spencer.

Notes: Spencer is just too dynamic not to keep. I just remember Jermaine Lewis being as important as two other Lewises with the 2000 Ravens. A punt returner strikes fear, which causes mistakes, and, again, one play can alter a teamÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ destiny. I’m also looking for Switzer to expand (i.e. deepen) his game with a QB who clearly enjoys working with him.

TE — Vance McDonald, Xavier Grimble, Zach Gentry.

Notes: The Patriots have been stockpiling tight ends this offseason and yet my understanding is they’ll open the season with only one on the roster. The shortage out there is acute! A guy like Gentry might be able to clear waivers and make it back to the practice squad, but he might NOT. And in my one-play season, the 6-8 condor holds on to a TD pass (or three) at a critical moment.

OL — Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Matt Feiler, B.J. Finney, Chuks Okorafor, Zach Banner.

Notes: With the versatility of Feiler and Finney, only need seven active on game day, so why carry Fred Johnson here as a ninth? I believe Johnson will make it back to the practice squad. Yes, heÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ massive and strong and long and raw with upside, but he hasn’t been that good. All due respect, Fred, you’ll get better, but I’m betting I can get you back. I haven’t watched Hawkins closely enough since he struggled early in camp. Maybe heÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ gotten that leg strength back and becomes the No. 9 here. Hate to give up on tackles.

DL — Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Javon Hargrave, Tyson Alualu, Daniel McCullers, Isaiah Buggs.

Notes: I thought maybe Buggs had a minor injury and they could IR him as a stash. They don’t need him right away, but heÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ good enough to play at this level. So, if heÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ not injured, have to keep him on the 53. McCullers is more savvy than I give him credit. He looked like a monster the other night — Mr. Third Week of August makes another team.

OLB — T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Anthony Chickillo, Ola Adeniyi.

Notes: A real stasher would put Adeniyi on half-season IR, but I can’t do that to him two years in a row. Also, I don’t know the prognosis for his knee. Reports say a couple of weeks but the team doctors know for certain. Losing Sutton Smith and Tuzar Skipper would crush me, but I’ll cross my fingers that they’ll come back to the practice squad. Again, thereÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ one spot open for a special-teamer. That favors Smith. D-end types like Skipper usually don’t help on teams, and perhaps thatÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ why Mike Tomlin hasn’t put him there yet.

ILB — Devin Bush, Mark Barron, Vince Williams, Tyler Matakevich, Ulysees Gilbert.

Notes: I keep hearing they should cut Matakevich, but I think heÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ looked great. HeÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ at his athletic peak and understands both positions and is excellent on special teams. I haven’t watched him closely in games, and perhaps thatÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ the disconnect I’m having with TwitterÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ general view, but I keep him. Gilbert, thereÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ no way I chance losing that kid. No way.

CB — Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, Artie Burns, Justin Layne.

Notes: LayneÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ looked good lately. Would they dare cut Burns? Nah. In great shape, working hard. But if Layne blows up on special teams tonight as a gunner, I may want to make him a game-day active. That could mean goodbye Artie (and hello Tuzar!). I’m assuming Brian Allen will be reclaimed. And I’m sure they would love for Browns castoff Jhavonte Dean to develop down the road, and the CB practice squad job is wide open.

S — Terrell Edmunds, Sean Davis, Kameron Kelly, Jordan Dangerfield.

Notes: Keep Davis’ ankle injury in mind. Again, we don’t know the complete prognosis. If he might miss a game, that opens the door for Marcus Allen. He finished strong last week — like last preseason. The hard-hitting second-year player could make another solid case with a big game tonight, especially on special teams.

Specialists — Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry, Kameron Kanaday.

Notes: Berry is the veteran that a team with big fancy plans wants and needs.