Steelers set initial 53-man roster after flurry of cuts and trades

The Pittsburgh Steelers have their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season, but getting there involved a few more twists than the usual end-of-preseason roster trimming.

Pittsburgh completed its cutdown ahead of Sunday’s deadline with a combination of releases, injured reserve list moves and two trades, including deals that sent former first-round pick Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys and 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers. In an unprecedented move too, the Steelers also kept all ten of their selections from this year’s NFL Draft.

Those moves helped put the finishing touches on the first regular-season roster assembled under head coach Mike McCarthy.

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Steelers make two trades before roster deadline

The biggest surprise came along the offensive line, where the Steelers traded Jones and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Dallas in exchange for third- and sixth-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Jones’ departure closes the book on one of the more puzzling recent Steelers draft stories. General manager Omar Khan traded up to select the Georgia tackle 14th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, his first first-round selection as Pittsburgh’s GM.

Jones started 38 games over three seasons, but his future became increasingly uncertain following the coaching change and throughout this preseason. He played more offensive snaps than any other Steelers player in each of Pittsburgh’s first two exhibition games and continued to receive an extended look in the preseason finale against Buffalo.

As it turns out, there may have been more behind those snaps than simply getting Jones additional work.

Pittsburgh also moved on from Johnson, sending the running back to Green Bay for a sixth-round pick in the 2028 NFL Draft, pending a physical. Johnson was selected 83rd overall just one year ago but never carved out a significant role as a rookie. He appeared in 10 games, carrying 28 times for 69 yards while also seeing work as a kickoff returner.

His departure leaves Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and Eli Heidenreich as the running backs on the initial roster, with Riley Nowakowski at fullback.

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Four quarterbacks survive the cut

One of the biggest questions throughout the preseason was whether Pittsburgh would actually carry four quarterbacks. At least for the initial roster, the answer is yes.

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar all survived Sunday’s cuts.

Howard and Allar received extensive opportunities during the preseason while Rodgers was held out of exhibition action. Their performances weren’t always pretty, but Pittsburgh apparently saw enough value in both young quarterbacks to avoid exposing either to waivers.

Keeping four quarterbacks creates an unusual roster configuration. However, the Steelers weren’t the only team to keep four passers, as the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, and Philadelphia Eagles did the same.

It remains possible that the bottom of the roster changes as players become available around the league. For now, however, McCarthy has an experienced veteran starter, a proven backup and two developmental quarterbacks to work with.

Steelers reshape their skill positions

The Steelers will open the season with six wide receivers on the roster: DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen.

Wilson entered camp needing to establish himself with a new coaching staff, while Bernard and Wetjen were among the rookies he was fighting for a roster spot against throughout the summer: all three made it through the initial cut.

At tight end, there were fewer surprises. Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington are joined by veteran Robert Tonyan, giving Pittsburgh a three-man group at the position.

The offensive line will feature nine players following the Jones trade. Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick headline a group that also includes Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook, Gennings Dunker, Brock Hoffman, Max Iheanachor and Ryan McCollum.

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Several veterans released on defense

Some of Sunday’s more notable decisions came on the defensive side of the ball. The Steelers released linebackers Elandon Roberts and Malik Harrison, along with defensive linemen Dean Lowry and Esezi Otomewo. Pittsburgh also released running back Travis Homer.

The moves leave the Steelers with an intriguing mixture of established stars and younger talent at linebacker. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith remain the headliners on the edge, with Nick Herbig and rookie Jack Sawyer also in the group. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson return inside, joined by Cole Holcomb and Carson Bruener, who surprisingly beat out Roberts and Harrison for his spot.

Along the defensive line, captain Cameron Heyward is joined by Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Gabriel Rubio, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and the biggest shock of the entire 53-man cutodowns, undrafted rookie Kevin Jobity Jr.

Joey Porter Jr. activated as secondary takes shape

There was also good news involving Joey Porter Jr., who was activated from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list in time to make the initial roster. Porter joins a cornerback room that includes Jalen Ramsey, Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandin Echols and Daylen Everette.

The Steelers placed defensive back DeShon Elliott on Reserve/Injured with a designation to return, meaning his season isn’t necessarily over, but he will miss the first four games of the year. Offensive lineman Jack Driscoll received the same designation while defensive back Donte Kent was also placed on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform.

With Elliott temporarily out of the picture, Pittsburgh’s initial safety group consists of Jaquan Brisker, Rayshawn Jenkins and Robert Spears-Jennings. (Also, one might think recently activated Jalen Ramsey may also flirt with playing safety once again this season, due to the thin depth chart.)

The Steelers’ initial 53-man roster

Initial is the keyword

As always, the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline doesn’t necessarily produce the same 53 players who will be there when Week 1 arrives. The Steelers can now examine players waived by the league’s other 31 teams, build their practice squad and make additional moves involving the bottom of the roster. Pittsburgh also has Elliott and Driscoll potentially returning from injured reserve later in the season.

Still, Sunday’s moves give us the clearest picture yet of what McCarthy and Khan envision for the 2026 Steelers. There are four quarterbacks, plenty of new faces at the skill positions and a defense that has undergone some significant changes around its established stars. Perhaps most notably, two relatively recent premium draft picks in Jones and Johnson are already headed elsewhere.

The preseason roster competition is over. Now the attention turns toward Week 1 and seeing what this new-look Steelers team can do when the games finally count.