Breaking down the specialists for the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers roster

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Now that we at Steelers 101 have broken down the roster for the 50 position players that we feel will man the opening day roster for 2012, it is time to finish things off with the three specialists that will open the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Unlike the other roster spots, there should not be quite the OTA or training camp battle for these positions, although there is some competition at each.  At kicker, veteran kicker Shaun Suisham will face competition from undrafted rookie free agent signee Danny Hrapmann from Southern Mississippi. While Suisham is by no means a fan favorite, he has been consistent since signing with the Steelers and should open the season as the kicker. Yes, Hrapmann is an interesting prospect, but he may not have enough consistency to unseat Suisham during training camp.

At punter, there is a familiar face returning in Jeremy Kapinos, who enters this season on top of the depth chart. Kapinos has been solid for the Steelers as an injury replacement, but cannot be too comfortable entering camp. He will face stiff competition from undrafted rookie free agent and one-time Ray Guy Award winning punter Drew Butler in training camp. Butler, who has NFL bloodlines, could be a sleeper as camp opens if he can regain the form that made him an All-American early in his college career.

Greg Warren should again be the Steelers long snapper, as he in one of the more consistent in the league. While the team did work out a few during the offseason, no  true competition was signed, although undrafted rookie wide receiver Connor Dixon from Duquesne has been taking snaps during OTAs.

Of course, these could also change if a more attractive option becomes available, but that would be something that happens toward the end of training camp. Until that point, we will go with these players to complete our 53-man roster. 

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