PITTSBURGH STEELERS

3 NAMES THAT YOU’VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT BEFORE CAMP

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had such a loud offseason that many of the players not making noise have somewhat fallen out of the minds of fans and media.

Pittsburgh has one of the most talented rosters in football. From start to finish, there are position battles that deserve to be covered because of the names fighting for them. Not many teams have a third-string quarterback competition making headlines for months.

That leaves valuable players on the back burner. Not that they won’t make the roster, but simply that fans and media have forgotten about them. When discussing positions or roles to watch, they may be overlooked.

But with training camp underway, these players always remind you that they’re still here. Some of the guys will have a significant impact in 2018, while others will simply be a reliable option on the field. Either way, there’s no need to let their name slip when thinking of the talent on this Steelers’ roster.

TYSON ALUALU

Tyson Alualu is the most reliable backup on the defensive side of the ball. A second-year Steeler, Alualu has developed into a person the Steelers can put anywhere on the defensive line, and expect quality play.

Last season, he racked up 39 tackles and four sacks in 16 games off the bench. With a year under his belt in Pittsburgh, that’ll improve in 2018. With camp underway, Alualu is already showing he’s ready to be an essential part of this defense.

People have talked about Joshua Frazier beating out Daniel McCullers for the backup nose tackle job. That’s likely going to be the case, but when someone needs to be called up it’ll be Alualu. Whether it’s defensive end, nose tackle, or a little of both.

T.J. WATT

T.J. Watt has entered his second season, moved to the left side of the ball, and still, no one is talking about his potential. Everyone is questioning whether or not Bud Dupree will benefit from the move, but no one is talking about Watt.

Last season, the first-round pick already started to show flashes of stardom. Brother of J.J. Watt, expectations are high for this outside linebacker. But so far, Watt has proven every critic wrong, and should do even more of that in 2018.

Watt is the best linebacker on the roster. He’s only going into his second season, and using his athleticism on the left side could lead to a number of interceptions heading his way. As long as there are no setbacks, which three days of training camp have not reveled, he’s looking at a superstar-like season.

DAVID DECASTRO

Le’Veon Bell has made headlines across the NFL for months. People are questioning whether or not he’ll be slow to start the season after missing his second-straight training camp. No one is talking about the offensive line he gets to run behind, though.

DeCastro can have a bling dog running behind him and still have the team rush for 500 yards in a season. Not taking anything away from Le’Veon Bell, but his offensive line is a major factor in his success, starting with DeCastro.

The injury scare to Ramon Foster set this one off. People suddenly started thinking about how much worse the line would be in Foster were to miss time, but as long as DeCastro is there, it’s still a strong group of linemen.

Whether it’s Bell, James Conner or someone else running the ball, they have a guard that can lead them to the promise land. Something everyone needs to remember when talking about the Steelers.