Steelers Roster Projection: 53-Man Cuts Revealed
The Steelers roster projection has reached its most important stage of the summer, with Pittsburgh facing difficult decisions before the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline. After the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills, several roster battles have become clearer, while a handful of positions remain difficult to predict.
Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has released his final projection, offering a detailed look at how the Steelers could shape their roster heading into the 2026 regular season. The projection comes at a crucial moment for a team beginning a new era under head coach Mike McCarthy.
The Steelers finished their preseason against Buffalo on Aug. 27 and now have only a short window to reduce the roster to 53 players. That means every position battle, injury and special-teams contribution could influence the final decisions.
Steelers roster projection enters final stage
The biggest story surrounding the Steelers is not simply who starts. It is who survives the final cut.
Pittsburgh entered the summer with competition across several position groups. Veterans had to protect their jobs, while rookies needed to demonstrate that they could contribute immediately.
The arrival of McCarthy also adds another element to the evaluation process. A new coaching staff can view players differently from the previous regime, particularly when it comes to versatility, football intelligence and special-teams value.
That has made the final Steelers roster projection especially interesting.
The preseason finale against Buffalo represented the last major opportunity for players on the roster bubble to make their case. Some established players were held out, while younger players received additional opportunities to show what they could do.
Four quarterbacks could reshape the Steelers roster projection
Quarterback is arguably the most unusual part of the Steelers’ roster situation.
Aaron Rodgers remains the veteran centerpiece, while Mason Rudolph has established himself as an important part of the quarterback room. Behind them, Pittsburgh has two young quarterbacks in Will Howard and Drew Allar.
Keeping all four would consume a valuable roster spot, but the Steelers have strong reasons to consider doing exactly that.
Howard’s situation is particularly important. He was being evaluated for an injury following the preseason finale, creating the possibility that Pittsburgh could initially carry him on the 53-man roster before placing him on injured reserve.
That would allow the Steelers to protect a young quarterback without permanently sacrificing another roster position.
The situation is also significant because Rodgers is expected to be in the final stage of his career, while Rudolph is entering a contract year. Keeping both Howard and Allar could therefore provide Pittsburgh with insurance and developmental options beyond the 2026 season.
Fittipaldo has previously expressed skepticism about keeping four quarterbacks on the active roster, noting the difficulty of finding enough practice repetitions for that many players. However, the circumstances surrounding Howard and Allar have made the decision more complicated.
Running back battle remains one of the toughest calls
The running back room has also produced one of the most interesting battles in the Steelers roster projection.
Jaylen Warren is the established piece of the group. Rico Dowdle provides veteran experience and gives the Steelers another proven option.
Behind them, however, the competition is much less certain.
Eli Heidenreich entered the offseason as a seventh-round pick with a compelling local connection. The Pittsburgh native and Navy product quickly became a popular player among fans, but his path to the roster was never going to be easy.
Heidenreich’s best opportunity was expected to come through special teams. Fittipaldo previously suggested that the rookie would probably need to distinguish himself as a coverage player or return specialist to secure a roster spot.
His versatility has helped him remain part of the conversation. At Navy, he demonstrated receiving ability in addition to his work in the running game, giving the Steelers another way to use him.
However, roster construction is ultimately about numbers.
Every spot given to a running back is a spot unavailable to another position. That makes the decision particularly important for McCarthy and the coaching staff.
Kaleb Johnson faces another important test
Second-year running back Kaleb Johnson is another player generating discussion.
Johnson was a third-round selection in 2025, but his position became less secure after Pittsburgh added Dowdle and continued developing its other backs.
The challenge for Johnson is not necessarily a lack of talent. It is the depth around him and the special-teams value of some of his competitors.
A young running back who contributes on special teams can have an advantage over a player whose primary value comes from offensive snaps.
That is one reason the final Steelers roster projection remains difficult to lock down.
The team could choose to prioritize offensive production and keep another running back. Alternatively, Pittsburgh could use roster flexibility and rely on practice-squad elevations when necessary.
Tight end and fullback roles provide clarity
The tight end group appears more settled.
Pat Freiermuth remains an important offensive piece, while Darnell Washington gives the Steelers a different physical dimension. Robert Tonyan also brings veteran experience.
Riley Nowakowski is another interesting piece because of the role he can play in McCarthy’s offense.
The Steelers selected Nowakowski in the 2026 draft and have explored the fullback position more directly than they have in recent seasons. His versatility could allow Pittsburgh to create different formations without sacrificing personnel flexibility.
That matters because McCarthy has historically shown a willingness to use personnel groupings that emphasize blocking and formation variation.
Nowakowski’s ability to contribute beyond a traditional fullback role therefore strengthens his roster case.
Defensive line looks increasingly settled
The defensive front is one of the more stable areas in the projection.
Cam Heyward remains the veteran leader, while Sebastian Joseph-Day and Keeanu Benton provide additional experience and interior strength.
First-round pick Derrick Harmon is also expected to play an important role as Pittsburgh continues to build around younger defensive talent.
Yahya Black and Gabriel Rubio round out the projected group.
Rubio, in particular, has reportedly helped his case with strong preseason performances. His development could become an important storyline as the Steelers evaluate the bottom of the defensive-line depth chart.
A six-player group gives Pittsburgh a useful combination of veteran leadership and young talent while providing enough depth for a long regular season.
Secondary could become a strength
The Steelers’ secondary has undergone significant change, making it one of the most intriguing groups in the final Steelers roster projection.
Joey Porter Jr. remains a central piece at cornerback. The addition of Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr. gives Pittsburgh more veteran experience, while Brandin Echols and Daylen Everette add depth.
Jalen Ramsey is another major name in the projected group.
The combination gives defensive coordinator Patrick Graham a collection of corners with different skill sets. That could allow Pittsburgh to adjust its coverage packages depending on opponents.
At safety, Jaquan Brisker, DeShon Elliott, Robert Spears-Jennings and Rayshawn Jenkins are projected to make the roster.
Spears-Jennings is particularly interesting because of his speed and special-teams potential. He was selected in the seventh round but has an opportunity to carve out a role by contributing immediately in the kicking game.
Special teams could decide the final spots
Special teams often receive less attention than quarterback or wide receiver battles, but they can determine the final few roster spots.
For Pittsburgh, Chris Boswell remains the kicker, Cameron Johnston is projected to handle punting duties, and Christian Kuntz is the long snapper.
The bigger impact, however, could come from position players who can contribute on coverage teams.
That is particularly relevant to players such as Heidenreich and Spears-Jennings.
For fringe players, demonstrating that they can become reliable special-teams contributors may be the difference between earning a spot and heading to the practice squad.
Why the Steelers roster projection is difficult
The biggest challenge for Pittsburgh is not identifying the team’s obvious starters.
Those players are largely known.
The difficult decisions are at the bottom of the roster.
A team must balance immediate production, developmental potential, injury situations, positional depth and special-teams value. It also has to consider the waiver wire because another club could claim a player the Steelers attempt to move to the practice squad.
That makes the final 53-man roster less about ranking 53 players individually and more about building a functional team.
For example, carrying four quarterbacks may appear inefficient on paper. Yet losing a promising young quarterback through waivers could have a much greater long-term cost.
Similarly, keeping an additional running back could make sense if that player contributes on special teams. But Pittsburgh may prefer to use the roster spot elsewhere if it believes the player can clear waivers.
The Buffalo finale added another layer
The Steelers’ preseason finale against Buffalo was important because it gave several young players one final opportunity to influence the decision-makers.
Pittsburgh ultimately lost the game, but the preseason result itself is less important than individual performances and health.
The final days before the deadline are therefore about evaluation rather than scoreboard results.
Players who have already secured roster positions may be protected from unnecessary exposure. Bubble players, meanwhile, have to demonstrate that they can help the team immediately.
That creates a difficult balance for McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan.
What happens next?
The Steelers must reduce their roster to 53 players before the Aug. 30 deadline.
Even after the initial roster is announced, the work will not be finished.
Teams around the NFL will evaluate released players, and Pittsburgh can potentially add talent through the waiver process. The practice squad will also provide another avenue for developing players who do not make the initial roster.
That means Fittipaldo’s Steelers roster projection should be viewed as an informed forecast rather than a final list of who will actually remain in Pittsburgh.
The situation surrounding Will Howard is one example of why the roster can change quickly. Injuries and roster designations can alter the numbers, while unexpected cuts from other teams can create new opportunities.
Steelers have several decisions that could surprise fans
The most compelling part of Pittsburgh’s final roster process is the possibility of surprise decisions.
The quarterback situation could produce one of the biggest stories if all four signal-callers remain connected to the 53-man roster.
The running back room could also create disappointment, particularly for players such as Heidenreich and Johnson who have faced significant competition throughout the summer.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s defensive depth could leave another NFL-caliber player searching for a new opportunity.
That is the reality of roster construction.
A player can perform well throughout training camp and still fail to make the final 53 because another player fits the team’s needs better.
Final outlook for the Steelers
The final Steelers roster projection points toward a team with a blend of established veterans, promising young players and several intriguing position battles.
Rodgers provides experience at quarterback, while Allar and Howard represent the future. Warren and Dowdle give the running game a reliable foundation, while the defensive front and secondary offer Pittsburgh a mixture of veterans and developing talent.
The most difficult decisions will likely involve the final few roster spots.
Those decisions could ultimately be determined by special teams, versatility and injury status rather than raw preseason statistics.
For McCarthy and Khan, the goal is not simply to select the 53 most talented players. It is to assemble a roster capable of handling the demands of a full NFL season.
That is why the final hours before the deadline could be just as important as the preseason games themselves.
The projected roster provides a useful snapshot of where the Steelers stand, but the official list will reveal which players truly earned their place in Pittsburgh’s new era.
As the Aug. 30 deadline approaches, the focus now shifts from speculation to decisions. For Steelers fans, the next update will bring the answer to one of the most important questions of the preseason: which 53 players will begin the 2026 season in black and gold?
