Steelers Gilreath and Clemons Biggest Winners On Practice Squad

A day after the Steelers narrowed their roster down to 53 players, the team signed eight to their practice squad.  Wide receivers David Gilreath and Toney Clemons, offensive linemen John Malecki and Ryan Lee, tight end Jamie McCoy, linebacker Marshall McFadden, safety Damon Cromartie-Smith and cornerback Josh Victoria are the eight, but who has a chance to make the most there?

Of the 53 man roster, there were only four wide receivers to make the team – Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, and Emmanuel Sanders.  Chris Rainey will more than likely act as the ‘5th receiver’ because he’ll find himself in the slot quite often.  It’s unclear how many empty backfield sets Haley will incorporate in the newly tooled offense.  But if any of these receivers were to miss significant time due to injury, then Gilreath and Clemons could find themselves in a real game situation.  In fact you could pretty much count on it.

Jerricho Cotchery missed 3 games last season (and was limited in most) due to injury.  Manny Sanders has not stayed healthy for the entirety of a season for his two seasons.  Wallace is the only receiver who’s played all 16 games in his three seasons as an NFL receiver.  Brown didn’t play all of his rookie season either.  So odds are the Steelers will be a man or two down in the receiver department at some point this season.  Gilreath and Clemons will likely fill those rolls.

The others on the squad such as Damon Cromartie-Smith might find their way into a game.  The defense is physical as we of Steeler Nation well know – the safeties are bound to get banged up.  But the rest?  They are more than likely stuck where they are, unless things REALLY get bad in the injury department.