The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their preseason on Thursday night with a 28-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Now that the preseason is over, it’s time for the Steelers to prepare for their first game in two weeks at home against the Atlanta Falcons. To do that, they need to finalize their 53-man roster by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
Steelers Cut 11 Players on Friday
The Steelers got a head start on roster cuts on Friday when they released 11 players.
Pittsburgh parted with offensive lineman Greg Crippen, running back Alex Tecza, wide receivers Jakobie Keeney-James, Cornell Powell, Isaiah Winstead, defensive backs Jaylon Guilbeau, Jack Henderson, Brandon Hill, Tamon Lynum, Daryl Porter, and tight end Jahiem Bell.
The Steelers signed Crippen as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan this season. Pittsburgh signed Tecza on Monday, so his stay in the Steel City wasn’t long.
Bell is heading into his third NFL season after the New England Patriots selected him in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Guilbeau had a brief stint in Pittsburgh after signing with the Steelers on Monday, while Hill joined the team on Tuesday. Keeney-James signed with the Steelers in early August after playing for the Green Bay Packers last season. Powell and Winstead both signed with the Steelers in mid-August. The Steelers signed Henderson to the practice squad last October, but he joined the Miami Dolphins late in the season. However, Pittsburgh signed him to a deal in the winter.
Pittsburgh signed Lynum as an undrafted free agent this May, and Porter signed with the Steelers in early August.
Steelers Seem to Be Keeping Four Quarterbacks
The Steelers will face a bit more of an issue at this roster cut-down deadline than many teams. Pittsburgh has four quarterbacks on its roster in Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar that could all make the 53-man roster, and it does sound like they will.
Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after Thursday’s game that he feels good about the quarterback room.
“I feel good about the quarterback room,” McCarthy said, via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “I’ve been saying it for quite some time, and they’ve shown it on the field. We got two veterans that we can win with, and we got two young guys that we’re excited about the future.”
Many teams don’t even keep three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, and the Steelers keeping four will take up a spot or two from another position.
The Steelers will keep both Rodgers and Allar on the roster throughout the season. However, if Howard proves himself to be a viable backup quarterback, or if Allar shows significant improvement, the Steelers could consider releasing Rudolph or even Howard if Allar appears to be the stronger option.
Steelers Announce 11 Cuts Ahead of Sunday’s Final Roster Decision