First and 10: Holding Predictions Accountable

Alan Saunders |

Sep 1, 2021

The Steelers cut their roster down to 53 players on Tuesday, and completing the process of selecting their team from the 90 that were initially invited to camp.

Steelers Now covered that process extensively, with three sets of predictions for who would make the 53-man roster: one before camp, one in the middle of the preseason and one just before Tuesday’s announcement.

So how did we do? Let’s take a look:

FINAL PREDICTION: 48/53

Players missed on: Guard Rashaad Coward, long snapper Kameron Canaday, outside linebacker Cassius Marsh and cornerback Arthur Maulet did not make the team and there was not an outside addition to the secondary.

Players left out: Long snapper Christian Kuntz, outside linebacker Jamir Jones, defensive ends Henry Mondeaux and Stephon Tuitt and inside linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III made the team against our prediction.

END TRAINING CAMP PREDICTION: 48/53

Players missed on: Coward, Canaday, Marsh, Maulet and Antoine Brooks Jr.

Players left out: Kuntz, Jones, Mondeaux, Gilbert and Benny Snell Jr.

BEFORE TRAINING CAMP PREDICTION: 46/54

Players missed on: Coward, Canaday, Marsh, Maulet, Brooks, Jaylen Samuels and Kevin Rader.

Players left out: Kuntz, Jones, Mondeaux, Kalen Ballage, Isaiah Buggs, Zach Gentry, and Joe Schobert, who to be fair, was on the Jacksonville Jaguars at the time.

FINAL GRADE: 48 out of 53 is an A-minus. We’ll take it, but we’ll try to be better next year.

News and notes from around the Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football League.

STEELERS HEADLINES

? Steelers DL Chris Wormley and Tyson Alualu are showing support for Stephon Tuitt and optimistic about his return. Nick Farabaugh

? Former Steelers CB Alan Haller will be the next athletic director at Michigan State. Alan Saunders

? Stephon Tuitt, Zach Banner remain out of Steelers practice with no update. Saunders

? JuJu Smith-Schuster was caught on film attempting the milk crate challenge. Austin Bechtold

? Alex Highsmith is ranked highly among returning edge rushers with minimal 2020 snaps. Nick Farabaugh

? The Steelers have hired Will Britt as an analyst. Cale Berger

VIDEO CONTENT FROM PITTSBURGH SPORTS LIVE

AROUND THE NFL

? The NFL has updated its COVID-19 protocols for the 2021 season. Cale Berger

STEELERS HISTORY

? 2020 The Steelers were among the favorites to land former Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette. Saunders

? 2019 The Steelers signed Joe Haden to a two-year contract extension. Mike Vukovcan

? 1965 Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Hardy Nickerson was born in Compton, California.

Nickerson was the Steelers’ fifth-round pick in the 1987 NFL Draft and played six seasons in Pittsburgh before joining Tampa Bay in free agency and played seven seasons with the Buccaneers. He finished his career with stops in Jacksonville and Green Bay.

Nickerson was a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time NFL All-Pro, all with the Buccaneers, and was named to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade team.

After his retirement, Nickerson worked as a coach for the Chicago Bears, Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and at Illinois.