Will LB Sean Spence Make The Final 53?

[GBMelBlount]

....Spence figures to have a great shot at completing what will be an amazing comeback.

However, with rookie Ryan Shazier now slated to start alongside Lawrence Timmons in 2014, Spence might have to beat out either Terence Garvin or rookie Jordan Zumwalt for a spot on the final 53 man roster.

Winning a spot will require him playing well on special teams and that’s one area that we will need to watch closely during the preseason.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2014/07/steelers-2014-training-camp-roster-polls-sean-spence-53/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SteelersDepotBlog+%28Steelers +Depot+Blog%29

[KeiselPower99]

I have him making it.

[stillers4me]

They didn't keep him around this long to cut him.

[ALLD]

You can never have too many good LBers, but they could trade him for a draft pick.

[GBMelBlount]

You can never have too many good LBers, but they could trade him for a draft pick.


:lol:

[GBMelBlount]

They didn't keep him around this long to cut him.

You are very old and wise Sue.

I value your opinion.

[stillers4me]

Hey, Tom!
http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=HN.608026245308092307&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0

:lol:

[HollywoodSteel]

Can Garvin still be put on the PS? Not sure how many games he was on active roster last year. If he is eligible, I think it will come down to him or Zumwalt to go on the PS, depending on who looks to contribute more on special teams.

And if Garvin looks more like a safety why not make him one? Is he not fast enough or can't he cover well enough? Unless he turns out to be the next Jack Lambert, he might be too thin to be an NFL ILB. I know people have suggested that Spence might make a good safety project too. It will be interesting to see if we experiment with moving these guys around during the pre-season.

Why do I have this feeling that the Cowboys will be looking to snatch any ILB we put on the PS this year? We shall see.

[TMC]

Here is how I see it. Timmons and Shazier are roster locks and it appears they have the starting spots on lock down. To weed out the tweeners (inside and outside), you really need to look at those guys too. Worilds and Jones are the outside starters. I think Moats is your backup outside with the last spot coming down to Carter, Vic So'oto, or Howard Jones. Garvin is in the mix, but he is a wildcard on the inside, so I keep him there.

That leaves these guys inside for the backup roles Garvin (as mentioned before), Spence, Williams, Zumwalt, Dan Molls, and Kion Wilson. Here is how I see it. Williams played his heart out last season, but he is a 2-down run thumper that is a huge liability in coverage. Spence is a guy in the mold of Timmons/Shazier, only he is smaller. Now, his speed could be a huge asset on special teams, and that is a big help for a backup. Garvin is versatile, as is Zumwalt. I think Molls and Wilson are already odd men out. Even if they like Zumwalt/Garvin enough to go heavy, since both can play inside and outside, carry 9 LBs, it still means that one of those two guys is competing for the two backup spots with Williams/Spence.

I think the key will be if Spence can stay healthy and outperform Vince Williams. I think it is a horse race between those two and Zumwalt/Garvin. And, honestly, if Spence stays healthy and outperforms the other guys, I have no issue with him being the guy over Vince Williams, who I think is very athletically limited.

[Chidi29]

Is it impossible for all of them to make the team? Would have figured one would have been the odd man out but when I started putting together my 53, they can all make it - pretty easily really.

Going back the last three years, they've kept 9-10 linebackers. So the locks, as mentioned by TMC are: Timmons, Shazier, Worilds, Jones. Moats is the clear cut top backup at OLB so we'll throw him on there too. That's five.

Williams should make the team. I'm higher on him than most though I know he'll be just a special teams guy this year. Way it goes in the league but he got a raw deal. Played well in inconsistency opportunity and while I know he'll never be Shazier, people might be too quickly writing off his lack of coverage ability. Tough to judge a 6th round rookie who got thrown into the fire. At least Shazier has the knowledge he's going to start. This time last year, Williams just wanted to make the team. So tack him to the list. Six.

Keith Butler is high on Garvin. Add him. Seven.

Now we're left with two to three spots remaining. If Spence looks good and makes that miraculous recovery, he'll get a hat. Eight.

Still have one left we need to add. Gets a little interesting here. On the depth chart, there'd only be three OLBs listed - Worilds, Jones, and Moats. Guys like Garvin and Zumwalt could play there in a disaster-scenario so you don't need to force a 4th OLB on the roster. It would come down to special teams value and from what I see in Zumwalt, that's where he'll have to make his name in his career to stick. So he could make it, too.

In fact, in my early 53 - haven't finished it yet - I have them keeping 10 LBs. All the ILBs I mentioned plus Vic So'oto, who is one of my early fliers.

[Shoes]

Nice stuff Chidi....looking forward to your 53

[steelreserve]

We always carry about 50 linebackers anyway, so I would think it's pretty likely. For him to be cut after we hung on to him for two seasons would be a big old waste of time. I also find it unlikely we'll drop Zumwalt, as you don't often get rid of same-year draft picks unless they really suck, or they're one of the 6 picks you had in Rounds 6 and 7 and are either super-confident you can hide them on the practice squad or don't care if they are lured away. Williams probably makes it too because, while he isn't great, he at least has shown he can play in a real game and not be completely in over his head. So that would leave:

Timmons, Worilds, Jones, Shazier, Moats, Spence, Williams, Zumwalt, which makes eight. Than one or two spots for everybody else.

I'd lean toward us carrying an extra LB this year, for two reasons ... one being that we have two good running backs, and one guy (Archer) who might be the last guy in the rotation at both RB and WR, so between both positions, we might carry one fewer player than last year and have some extra flexibility. The other reason being that I don't see any likely scenarios in which Worilds is back next year, so we may want to have an extra guy around for that eventuality. Not necessarily as a 1:1 replacement, but someone who can fill a role that we'd otherwise be spending a draft pick or signing a free agent for.

Besides, we've got to keep more than usual this year. We've got linebackers out the butt!

[Chidi29]

We always carry about 50 linebackers anyway, so I would think it's pretty likely. For him to be cut after we hung on to him for two seasons would be a big old waste of time. I also find it unlikely we'll drop Zumwalt, as you don't often get rid of same-year draft picks unless they really suck, or they're one of the 6 picks you had in Rounds 6 and 7 and are either super-confident you can hide them on the practice squad or don't care if they are lured away. Williams probably makes it too because, while he isn't great, he at least has shown he can play in a real game and not be completely in over his head. So that would leave:

Timmons, Worilds, Jones, Shazier, Moats, Spence, Williams, Zumwalt, which makes eight. Than one or two spots for everybody else.

I'd lean toward us carrying an extra LB this year, for two reasons ... one being that we have two good running backs, and one guy (Archer) who might be the last guy in the rotation at both RB and WR, so between both positions, we might carry one fewer player than last year and have some extra flexibility. The other reason being that I don't see any likely scenarios in which Worilds is back next year, so we may want to have an extra guy around for that eventuality. Not necessarily as a 1:1 replacement, but someone who can fill a role that we'd otherwise be spending a draft pick or signing a free agent for.

Besides, we've got to keep more than usual this year. We've got linebackers out the butt!

In Tomlin's tenure, less than 75% of draft picks make the 53 out of camp. History strongly suggests at least two picks won't make the roster this year.

[steelreserve]

In Tomlin's tenure, less than 75% of draft picks make the 53 out of camp. History strongly suggests at least two picks won't make the roster this year.

A good point, but about half of the ones who didn't have been the what-the-hell picks on linemen at the end of the draft, who don't really have much use on special teams and therefore end up on the practice squad. Then a few skill players who show they really aren't ready. Which admittedly could happen. But as long as he gives a reasonable accounting of himself, this year we're in a position where if someone who's off the depth chart now has an impressive preseason, we probably have the flexibility to keep both if we want.

The other big thing is injury. If one of the other guys picks up an injury that carries over into the regular season, that improves the odds that guys like Zumwalt (or Spence, for that matter) make it. Even if the injured guy isn't on IR or PUP, they might want the extra depth for the time being. With 10 guys playing LB, the odds of that are pretty high, even higher if you add in all the other guys who might play special teams. I just pray it won't be Timmons or Shazier.

[Chidi29]

Fair enough - like I said, I have Zumwalt on my roster right now. Just making the point that some of these guys won't make it especially in a large class like this years.

[TMC]

In 2011, they carried 8 LBs. In 2012, the Steelers carried 4 ILBs and 5 OLBs. Last season, they carried 8 LBs. When they carry 9, they are heavy. It would be shocking to see them carry 10.

[Chidi29]

Yeah, you're right TMC. I think I looked at one of my numbers incorrectly. With the positive depth they have, I think nine is a realistic number. That would make it likely the last spot comes down to Zumwalt or Spence.

EDIT: Although on second thought, I have ten that includes So'oto. Take him away and you're back to nine without having to make a cut at ILB between those three.

[Count Steeler]

A lot of our questions start to get answered on Friday. I still think there may be a hybrid role for Spence, if he still is agile.

Special Teams/ILB/Rover Safety.

I think our defense is going to have some line ups that are going to cause a lot of headaches and time outs. Offenses are going to be confused with our personnel and their positions.