2020 Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp Preview: Special Teams
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Following a tough 2018 season, making just 65% of his field goals, kicker Chris Boswell will come back in 2020 coming off a 2019 season where he converted a career-best 29 of 31 field goals. The sixth-year man will lead the Steelers' special teams' group this fall.
Heading into camp, the Steelers have five specialists occupying a roster spot:
Placekicker
Chris Boswell, 6th Season
Punter
Corliss Waitman, Rookie (South Alabama)
Jordan Berry, 6th Season
Long Snapper
Christian Kuntz, 1st Season
Kameron Canaday, 4th Season
Projected 'Starters on Sundays': Boswell (Placekicker) and Kameron Canaday (Long Snapper)
Boswell will have the starting spot on the 53-man roster. In his career, Boswell is a perfect 35 of 35 in the 20-29-yard field goal range. He's also 8 of 11 from 50 yards or more, and both numbers are included when figuring his career overall in field goal percentage of 86.9% during five seasons with the Steelers.
Canaday returns at long snapper for his fourth season in Black and Gold. The 27-year old has provided the Steelers with consistency which can go a long way in long-snapping. Canaday started all 16 games for the Steelers in each of the last three seasons.
Battling for a Spot: Jordan Berry (Punter) and Corliss Waitman (Punter)
At first look, Berry appears to be the starter for 2020. He punted the ball a career-high 74 times in 2019, which carried an average of 45.5 yards each time. However, Berry will start training camp with rookie Corliss Waitman behind him, looking to make his name be known.
Waitman, undrafted in 2020, signed with the Steelers in April. Waitman played at South Alabama and booted the ball 157 times over four years. In 2017, he averaged 41.7 yards per punt and in 2018 it was 42.9 yards. Waitman stands at 6'2" 210-lbs. and could make a push in training camp to take over as the Steelers punter.
At the end of August, coach Mike Tomlin and his staff will likely keep them both, but the starter could be different than originally expected.
Reserves: Christian Kuntz (Long Snapper)
Kuntz is considered a first-year man, but he's spent time on four practice squads. A Chartiers Valley High School graduate, Kuntz played college ball at Duquesne University and was undrafted in 2017.
Kuntz was a member of the Steelers practice squad in 2019, so it's likely he'll be left off the 53-man roster but could join the team if Canaday needs assistance later in the season.
It could be worth watching the battle at punter between the veteran Berry and the rookie Waitman as camp progresses, but Boswell will take the placekicker role when the Steelers open the season Sept. 14 against the New York Giants.
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