Steelers 2024 Position Review Before Training Camp – Specialist

The last time we looked at the the Pittsburgh Steelers squadThere were still weeks until the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s safe to say that quite a lot has changed since then, at nearly every position on the roster. Some changes are big, some are minor, but some have remained largely, if not entirely, unchanged.

As we approach the start of the Steelers’ multi-week training camp, we expect a lot of competition in Latrobe, so it would be a good time to pause and take stock. Where are the key position battles taking place and who is participating?

Position: Specialists

Total number of positions: 4

New arrivals: 0

Deletions: 0

Retained players:

Chris Boswell: I wish I could call Chris Boswell “Ol’ Faithful,” but he’s let the Steelers down too many times with his yips. In six years, he’s hit over 90 percent of his kicks, but twice dipped below 72 percent. He nearly lost his job in 2018, but he’s just had one of his best seasons. In 2023, Boswell hit 29 of 31, including 6 of 7 on 50-plus shots. At 33, he has three years left on his contract at a salary of $5 million per season.

Cameron Johnston: The signing of Cameron Johnston could be a big improvement for the Steelers’ punting game. After all, they paid a high price for him. At $9 million over three years, he makes $3 million per season, making him the fourth-highest punter in the NFL. However, the 32-year-old veteran has a strong resume and replaces the very inconsistent Pressley Harvin III.

Christian Kuntz: Somewhat surprisingly, the Steelers signed Christian Kuntz to a three-year contract in the offseason. They only paid him $3,765,000 for three years, admittedly – the long snapper market is cheap. Currently, the average annual salary is only $1,616,250. But honestly, I always thought the Steelers could find a more accurate long snapper. Kuntz is fine, though. Aside from the occasional pointless penalty, he’s accurate enough that a good holder can catch up to his snaps.

Matthew Wright: Matthew Wright has been kicking for the Steelers on and off for a couple of decades, or so it seems. The University of Central Florida product has managed to kick every season since 2020, which is impressive enough. However, he lacks job security, and he has never quite been in the starting lineup. In 14 games with the Jaguars in 2021, he hit 21-of-24, including 4-of-6 from 50-plus yards. With the Steelers, he hit 16-of-18 and 1-of-1 from 50-plus yards in seven games. But he’s not taking Chris Boswell’s job, so what does that matter?

Players added: N/A

Lost Players: N/A

Notes and outlook on the camp:

Nothing to see here, folks. At least there are no position battles to discuss. The only really interesting thing is how much better Cameron Johnston is compared to Pressley Harvin III. The Steelers gave the latter a couple of years but decided to pull the plug this offseason. They had a few good options for very accomplished punters and chose Johnston, who offers the benefit of looking like Bill Burr. He also complements the Steelers’ unusual line of Australian punters, including Jordan Berry, Brad Wing and Mat McBriar. Surprisingly, there are Only more Australian punters who didn’t play for the Steelers than those who did, five to four. They never got Sav Rocca.