Drilling in: Steelers unit by unit analysis

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Ben Roethlisberger. Backups -- Landry Jones, Mason Rudolph, Josh Dobbs. Roethlisberger is entering his 15th season and remains among the league's top players. He's coming off a season in which he threw for more than 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl. Rudolph will push Jones for the backup job. The Steelers traded up in the third round to select Rudolph. They had a first-round grade on him and had him grouped with the five other quarterbacks that were selected in the first round. Jones has proven to be a capable backup the past few seasons and is entering the final year of a two-year contract. Dobbs, a fourth-round pick in 2017, could be the odd man out. RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- Le'Veon Bell, Roosevelt Nix. Backups -- James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, Stevan Ridley, Jarvion Franklin, Fitzgerald Toussaint, James Summers. Bell earned first-team All-Pro honors for the second time in his career and is just as valuable to the Steelers as a receiver as he is a runner. Conner is coming off a knee injury that ended his rookie season. The Steelers were impressed with Samuels, a rookie from North Carolina State, during the spring and believe his skill set will translate well at the NFL level. Ridley and Toussaint could make the roster if the coaches want four running backs on the 53-man roster. TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Vance McDonald. Backups -- Jesse James, Xavier Grimble, Ryan Malleck, Pharoh McKever, Christian Scotland-Williamson. The Steelers really like McDonald's skill set, and he could be a big part of the offense if he can find a way to stay healthy. He's missed 21 games due to injury since entering the league in 2013, including six games last season. One need only look at the way the Steelers used McDonald in the playoff game against the Jaguars to see his potential. He had more than 100 yards receiving in that game. James has started 29 games the past three seasons and has proven to be a dependable player, but he's better-suited in a reserve role. Grimble can stretch the field, but has to improve as a blocker. WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster. Backups -- James Washington, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Justin Hunter, Marcus Tucker, Quadree Henderson, Trey Griffey, Tevin Jones, Justin Thomas, Damoun Patterson. Brown is coming off yet another All-Pro season and is on the verge of 10,000 receiving yards for his career. Smith-Schuster had more receiving yards than any other rookie last season and can be effective as an outside receiver or from the slot. Washington, a rookie second-round pick, is expected to be the No. 3 receiver. He was known for being a deep threat at Oklahoma State and will fill that role for the Steelers as well with Martavis Bryant no longer with the team. Look for Tucker to make a push for a roster spot. OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Alejandro Villanueva, LG Ramon Foster, C Maurkice Pouncey, RG David DeCastro, RT Marcus Gilbert. Backups -- C/G B.J. Finney, G/T Matt Feiler, T Chuks Okorafor, C Parker Collins, C/G Larson Graham, C Patrick Morris, G R.J. Prince, T Bryce Harris, T Jake Rodgers, T Joseph Cheek, G Chris Schlueger. This is one of the Steelers' best units as Pouncey, DeCastro and Villanueva made the Pro Bowl last season. DeCastro is one of the best guards in the league and is especially strong as a run blocker. Gilbert has never received the recognition that some of his linemates have enjoyed, but he's one of the best run-blocking right tackles in the league. Foster is 32 and entering the final year of a three-year contract. He is hoping to get an extension before the start of the season. The biggest issue facing offensive line coach Mike Munchak this summer is finding a swing tackle to take the place of Chris Hubbard, who signed a big free-agent deal with the Browns after serving in that role for the Steelers the past few years. Jerald Hawkins was pegged for that role, but he sustained a season-ending quad injury during OTAs. Okorafor, a rookie third-round pick, could be thrust into action sooner than anticipated. He had a strong spring, playing the right and left side after Hawkins' injury. Finney is a valuable member of the unit as he serves as the backup at center and guard. DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- RDE Cameron Heyward, LDE Stephon Tuitt, NT Javon Hargrave. Backups -- DE Tyson Alualu, DE/NT L.T. Walton, NT Daniel McCullers, DE/NT Lavon Hooks, NT Casey Sayles, NT Joshua Frazier, DE Kendall Vickers, DE/NT Greg Gilmore, DE Parker Cothren. The Steelers have one of the best 3-4 end combinations in Heyward and Tuitt. Now all they need is for both to be healthy for an entire season. Heyward is coming off his first All-Pro season after missing the second half of the 2016 season with a torn pectoral muscle. Tuitt has All-Pro potential, but he has been hampered by a variety of injuries in recent years, including elbow and back injuries last season. Hargrave is a solid nose tackle, but his smallish stature has been problematic at times against the run. Depth could be an issue if there are injuries. Alualu is a valuable reserve if it is in a limited role. He turned 31 in May. Walton is a serviceable reserve but doesn't offer much in terms of pass rush. Look for Frazier to push McCullers in a battle to back up Hargrave. LINEBACKERS: Starters -- ROLB Bud Dupree, ILB Tyler Matakevich, ILB Vince Williams, OLB T.J. Watt. Backups -- OLB Anthony Chickillo, OLB Keion Adams, OLB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, OLB Farrington Huguenin, ILB Jonathan Bostic, ILB Keith Kelsey, ILB L.J. Fort, ILB Darnell Leslie, ILB Matthew Thomas, ILB Matt Galambos. Once upon a time, the Steelers' strength lied in its linebacker play. But after some first-round disappointments and the injury to Ryan Shazier, the Steelers are in the process of retooling this unit. The best linebacker among the four starters is T.J. Watt, who is coming off a rookie season in which he registered seven sacks. Much more is expected in his second season. Dupree has never had more than six sacks in any of his first three NFL seasons, and the Steelers are hoping a move to the right side will help boost those lackluster totals. On the inside, the Steelers start a couple of former low-round draft picks. Williams is a 2013 sixth-rounder who has proven to be a solid starter. Matakevich will compete with Bostic for the other spot inside. Matakevich is a 2016 seventh-round choice who hasn't been a starter yet. The depth on the outside is a little weak. Chickillo has been solid as a reserve, but there is no one with NFL experience behind him. Look for Thomas, an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Joe Haden, RCB Artie Burns, Nickel CB Mike Hilton, SS Morgan Burnett, FS Sean Davis. Backups -- CB Cameron Sutton, CB Brian Allen, CB Coty Sensabaugh, CB Jamar Summers, CB Dashaun Phillips, CB Trey Johnson, S Terrell Edmunds, S Nat Berhe, S Marcus Allen, S Jordan Dangerfield, S Malik Golden. The Steelers are in the process of remaking their secondary under new defensive backs coach Tom Bradley. Burnett was signed to play strong safety, which will free up Davis, the strong safety the past two seasons, to play free safety. Burnett also could have a role as a linebacker when the Steelers play their dime defense with six defensive backs. He played a similar role with the Packers before signing with the Steelers. The corners are more settled. Haden was solid in his first season with the Steelers last season. Burns is entering his third season and must develop more consistency in his game. Hilton, a former undrafted free agent, was strong as the slot corner. Edmunds was the Steelers' first-round choice a few months ago and is expected to earn playing time in the sub-packages. Sutton played well as a rookie after coming off injured reserve midway through the season. He'll be competing for more playing time. SPECIAL TEAMS: K Chris Boswell, P Jordan Berry, P Matt Wile, LS Kameron Canaday, KOR JuJu Smith-Schuster, PR Antonio Brown, PR Cameron Sutton. Boswell made the Pro Bowl after making 92 percent of his field-goal attempts last season. Berry is adept at pinning opponents inside their 20-yard line, but he can be more consistent with his longer kicks. Canaday is entering his second season after no major mishaps as a rookie. Smith-Schuster took over the kickoff return duties late last season and scored his first touchdown off a return in the regular-season finale against the Browns. The Steelers don't want to use Brown as their punt returner, so Sutton will have an opportunity to win that job that was held last season by Eli Rogers, who continues his rehab from an ACL injury and was not re-signed.