Loading ...The Pittsburgh Steelers will finally start the 2012 NFL season next Sunday night against the Denver Broncos and the roster for that campaign should look a lot different that the one that took the field in 2011. Gone are familiar names such as Hines Ward, Chris Hoke and Aaron Smith. Figuring out who replace them (and others) is a tricky endeavor this season, as there are a lot of new faces and injury concerns that will have a direct impact on the roster.
One of the biggest questions to arise from the preseason finale is what to do at linebacker, after rookie third round pick linebacker Sean Spence, was hospitalized after suffering a significant knee/leg injury (Pro Football Talk is reporting town ACL, LCL and Dislocated knee cap) in the third quarter, likely ending his season. If Spence does go on injured reserve, the Steelers may decide to talk with veteran James Farrior to provide depth, he knows the system and could step right in. Yes, this is a long shot, but it is a desperate situation at linebacker. Three other injuries were reported, Baron Batch (groin), Robert Golden (hamstring) and Curtis Brown (knee). While the severity of those are unknown, each one could in the end change the 53-man roster.
With that news in place and the final preseason game complete, we at Steelers101 have dissected the players and came up with our best guess at the 2012 opening day roster. While this is an inexact science, it is fun thing to do as we look forward to and prepare for the 2012 season. Note: tight end Weslye Saunders would have made the opening day roster, but is facing a mandatory four-game suspension to open the season.
2012 Opening Day Roster
Name | Position | Height | Weight | Age | College |
Adams, Mike | T | 6-7 | 323 | 22 | Ohio State |
Allen, Cortez | CB | 6-1 | 196 | 23 | The Citadel |
Allen, Will | S | 6-1 | 200 | 29 | Ohio State |
Batch, Baron | RB | 5-10 | 210 | 24 | Texas Tech |
Brown, Antonio | WR | 5-10 | 186 | 23 | Central Michigan |
Brown, Curtis | DB | 6-0 | 185 | 23 | Texas |
Bryant, Corbin | DE | 6-4 | 300 | 24 | Northwestern |
Butler, Drew | P | 6-1 | 204 | 22 | Georgia |
Carter, Chris | LB | 6-1 | 248 | 23 | Fresno State |
Clark, Ryan | FS | 5-11 | 205 | 32 | Louisiana State |
Colon, Willie | T | 6-3 | 315 | 29 | Hofstra |
Cotchery, Jerricho | WR | 6-1 | 200 | 29 | North Carolina State |
Cromartie-Smith, Damon | S | 6-2 | 210 | 25 | UTEP |
Dwyer, Jonathan | RB | 5-11 | 229 | 22 | Georgia Tech |
Essex, Trai | G | 6-5 | 324 | 29 | Northwestern |
Foote, Larry | LB | 6-1 | 239 | 31 | Michigan |
Foster, Ramon | G | 6-6 | 325 | 26 | Tennessee |
Gilbert, Marcus | T | 6-6 | 330 | 24 | Florida |
Gilreath, David | WR | 5-11 | 169 | 23 | Wisconsin |
Golden, Robert | S | 5-11 | 202 | 21 | Arizona |
Hampton, Casey | NT | 6-1 | 325 | 34 | Texas |
Harrison, James | OLB | 6-0 | 242 | 33 | Kent State |
Heyward, Cameron | DE | 6-5 | 288 | 22 | Ohio State |
Hood, Ziggy | DE | 6-3 | 300 | 25 | Missouri |
Johnson, Brandon | LB | 6-5 | 245 | 29 | Louisville |
Johnson, Will | FB | 6-2 | 240 | 23 | West Virginia |
Hood, Ziggy | DE | 6-3 | 300 | 25 | Missouri |
Keisel, Brett | DE | 6-5 | 285 | 33 | Brigham Young |
Leftwich, Byron | QB | 6-5 | 250 | 32 | Marshall |
Legursky, Doug | G | 6-1 | 315 | 25 | Marshall |
Lewis, Keenan | CB | 6-0 | 208 | 25 | Oregon State |
McLendon, Steve | DT | 6-4 | 280 | 26 | Troy |
Miller, Heath | TE | 6-5 | 256 | 29 | Virginia |
Mundy, Ryan | FS | 6-1 | 209 | 27 | West Virginia |
Paulson, David | TE | 6-4 | 241 | 23 | Oregon |
Polamalu, Troy | SS | 5-10 | 207 | 31 | USC |
Pope, Leonard | TE | 6-8 | 264 | 28 | Georgia |
Pouncey, Maurkice | C/G | 6-4 | 304 | 22 | Florida |
Rainey, Chris | RB | 5-9 | 175 | 24 | Florida |
Redman, Isaac | RB | 6-0 | 230 | 27 | Bowie State |
Robinson, Adrian | LB | 6-1 | 250 | 22 | Temple |
Roethlisberger, Ben | QB | 6-5 | 241 | 30 | Miami (Ohio) |
Sanders, Emmanuel | WR | 5-11 | 180 | 25 | SMU |
Starks, Max | OT | 6-7 | 346 | 30 | Florida |
Suisham, Shaun | K | 6-0 | 200 | 30 | Bowling Green State |
Sylvester, Stevenson | ILB | 6-2 | 231 | 23 | Utah |
Ta'amu, Alameda | DT | 6-3 | 348 | 21 | Washington |
Taylor, Ike | CB | 6-2 | 195 | 31 | Louisiana-Lafayette |
Timmons, Lawrence | LB | 6-1 | 234 | 25 | Florida State |
Wallace, Mike | WR | 6-0 | 199 | 25 | Mississippi |
Warren, Greg | LS | 6-3 | 252 | 30 | North Carolina |
Woodley, LaMarr | OLB | 6-2 | 265 | 27 | Michigan |
Worilds, Jason | OLB | 6-2 | 262 | 24 | Virginia Tech |
Tags: Baron Batch, Curtis Brown, Football, James Farrior, NFL, opening day roster, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Robert Golden, Sean Spence
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