Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Veterans who won’t survive 2018 training camp

DT Daniel McCullers

On the surface, it would seem like Daniel McCullers would be safe. Of the Steelers’ nose tackles, he’s been in the league the longest and offers impressive size to anchor the defensive line. However, upon further review, it’s not as simple as it may seem.

Javon Hargrave will likely begin the season as the starter, seeing as he boasts far more upside and explosiveness than McCullers. That leaves McCullers and rookie Josh Frazier to battle for the second and final spot on the nose tackle depth chart.

Now it would seem like a safe assumption that McCullers could beat out a rookie seventh-round pick for a roster spot. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if neither made the roster. The Steelers have other defensive linemen capable of contributing inside and outside. Pittsburgh could simply go with one nose tackle and four or five defensive ends.

Even then, Frazier could outshine him. It’s not like McCullers has been anything special since arriving in the Steel City as a sixth-round pick. He may come in a jumbo-sized package that can be intimidating, but this is the NFL and he doesn’t offer enough athleticism to make a consistent impact.

One way or another, McCullers will be headed for the open market in the near future.