Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the rest of the league are operating under a completely new set of rules. One of the more interesting ones pertains to the practice squad.
Practice squad rosters have already been bumped from 12 to 16 in the new amended CBA but it gets better. The addition of a protected practice squad of four of those players gives the Steelers four players they can protect from other rosters on a weekly basis. It will help the Steelers hold onto some young talent. With the pandemic, teams could need to add a player on a very tight deadline ahead of games and this is where these four players become valuable.
Here are six Steelers who should be considered for the protected practice squad.
OL Kevin Dotson
It won’t be long before Dotson is fully entrenched as the team’s starting left guard. But for now, Matt Feiler and Stefen Wisniewski will hold down the left guard spot and be the primary depth at both guard spots. But Dotson is the type of talent another team is keeping an eye on.
DT Carlos Davis
Similar to Dotson, there isn’t a spot in the regular rotation right now for Davis. However, despite being a seventh-round pick, Davis has a bright future as the Steelers nose tackle. But for whatever reason, the Steelers keep Dan McCullers on the roster, which makes Davis a perfect candidate to tuck away and protect.
LB Leo Lewis
It is doubtful Lewis is going to make the team’s 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent but Lewis is a fascinating prospect. Without a preseason to let Lewis show off his skills as an off-ball linebacker, his training camp reps are even more important. Depth at inside linebacker isn’t great so keeping Lewis around would afford him an excellent opportunity.
EDGE Tuzar Skipper
Last offseason, Skipper was a fan favorite in training camp and the preseason. But the addition of Alex Highsmith complicates things for Skipper’s spot. Nevertheless, Skipper has promise and with another year of coaching could be ready to compete for legitimate reps.
RB Kerrith Whyte
Things got complicated for Whyte when the Steelers drafted Anthony McFarland Jr. this year. Despite his talent, he was No. 4 on the depth chart behind James Conner, Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels. Whyte is talented and is perhaps the fastest back on the team. Having him protected and available on a weekly basis makes a ton of sense.
WR Deon Cain
Cain, similar to Whyte got bumped thanks to the 2020 NFL draft. The addition of Chase Claypool put Cain squarely on the roster bubble but the protected practice squad gives him second life. If Ryan Switzer struggles, it makes sense Cain could be the next man up.
