Justin K. Aller/Getty Images B.J. Finney #67 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during training camp at Heinz Field on July 28, 2021.
On Tuesday the Pittsburgh Steelers reduced their roster to 53 players just minutes before the 4 p.m. Eastern deadline. Brooke Pryor of ESPN made light of how the Steelers took things down to the wire with a post-4 p.m. tweet.
It’s 4:02 p.m., do you know where your 53-man roster is?
Minutes later, Pittsburgh announced its final roster cuts, some of which were previously reported, like the release of punter Jordan Berry and veteran long-snapper Kameron Canaday, as well as undrafted free agent linebacker Jamar Watson.
Tuesday Afternoon’s Cuts Included:
– Wide receivers Rico Bussey and Cody White
– Fullback Trey Edmunds
– Tight end Kevin Rader
– Linebacker Cassius Marsh
– Defensive backs Mark Gilbert, Arthur Maulet and Donovan Stiner
The Steelers also waived 2021 sixth-round pick Quincy Roche, who the team figures to sign to its practice squad, assuming he clears waivers.
Also jettisoned were fourth-year running back Jaylen Samuels (a fifth-round pick in 2018), plus four offensive linemen, namely Rashaad Coward, B.J. Finney, Chaz Green and John Leglue. Coward is perhaps the most surprising of the four, as he has starting experience with the Chicago Bears and by most accounts, looked good in minicamp and training camp. As for Finney, he never seemed to recover from the disastrous season he had in 2020, which came in the wake of signing a lucrative contract with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.
Meanwhile, the team also placed fourth-string quarterback Joshua Dobbs on the Reserve/Injured List, where he joins Antoine Brooks Jr. and defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas. Dobbs suffered what has been described as a turf toe-type injury in the team’s preseason finale vs. Carolina.
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As for Pittsburgh’s next-most-recent set of roster cuts, those came on Saturday Aug. 28, when the team waived wide receiver/kick returner Mathew Sexton, as well as eight other players:
– Ex-Washington Football Team tight end Marcus Baugh
– Former Falcons running back Tony Brooks-James
– UDFA cornerback Shakur Brown (Michigan State)
– Former Kentucky Wildcats defensive tackle T.J. Carter
– UDFA wide receiver Anthony Johnson (University of Buffalo)
– Ex-Buffalo Bills cornerback Lafayette Pitts
– Former Ohio State offensive guard Malcolm Pridgeon
– Safety Lamont Wade
Pittsburgh’s First Two Rounds of Cuts Came Earlier This Month
Prior to that, the Steelers released five players on Aug. 17, followed by another five on Aug. 24. The Aug. 17 cuts were headlined by former Bears seventh-round draft pick Stephen Denmark, who—like defensive lineman Abudullah Anderson—went on to ink a deal with the Green Bay Packers. The Aug. 24 cuts included 2020 sixth-round draft pick Antoine Brooks Jr., (Maryland), who was waived/injured despite entering training camp as the No. 1 most likely option to replace Mike Hilton at slot cornerback. Hilton, who was an unrestricted free agent, signed a four-year contract with the Bengals in-mid March.
Now we wait to see if the Steelers make waiver claims for one or more players. Being that Pittsburgh was a playoff team in 2020, it is well down in the pecking order in terms of being awarded a player via the claim process, which is explained by Field Yates of ESPN immediately below:
Any player that is released with less than four accredited seasons will be subject to waivers.
The waiver priority remains the original draft order, meaning teams such as the Jaguars, Jets and Texans have first chance to collect some developmental talent during this busy week.
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Steelers Cut 2021 Draft Pick, 4 Offensive Linemen