Still Curtain
FanSided

3 roster cuts the Steelers need to make immediately

By Michelle Kotts

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) hands off to running back Benny Snell (24) in the second quarter of the NFL 15 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. The Bengals led 17-0 at halftime.Pittsburgh Steelers At Cincinnati Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) hands off to running back Benny Snell (24) in the second quarter of the NFL 15 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. The Bengals led 17-0 at halftime.Pittsburgh Steelers At Cincinnati Bengals /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next
Steelers
Trey Edmunds #33 of the Pittsburgh Steelers (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

Preseason is a time for the Steelers, and all NFL teams, to evaluate player strengths and weaknesses before making their final cuts.

During the span of the pre-season, there are some players on the Steelers roster that you know will stay there through at least the last pre-season game, and you have no recourse but to mumble to yourself, why is that guy still on the team and why hasn’t he been cut yet? When it comes to the Steelers roster, a few players probably should be cut now just to end things.

Now, as to which players there could be a reasonably subjective list as everyone out there may have two or three players in mind that should get the boot. A player can seem impressive to one person, and the next person thinks he stinks.  Then you sit around and wonder why the coaching staff can’t see the forest for the trees and have already given that player his walking papers.

Then there are a few players that fans, media, and just about anyone else know should go, yet they seem to linger around on the roster like a bad cold. And yes, it seems the Steelers do have a few such players around.

So without further ado, here are the top three players that the Steelers should cut now so they can move and develop the other players at those positions. There seems to be no underlying reason to keep these three candidates. Perhaps one of the candidates may be on the list as of personal bias; however, there are probably a fair number of fans that might agree.

Trey Edmunds

Trey Edmunds has been on the Steelers for three seasons, headed into his fourth season, after spending his first season with the New Orleans Saints. In his four years in the NFL, he has averaged a whopping 3.4 rushes a season for 35 yards a season. In 2018 and 2020, Trey did not play any games.  So Far in 2021, in the Hall of Fame game, Edmunds had two pass receptions for a total of 22 yards. In the Eagles game, one reception for 11 yards.

Ordinarily 33 yards on three passes,  one could make an impressive case since he’s averaging 11 yards a pass reception. However, this is the pre-season,  and utilizing Edmunds makes sense as you want to keep your starters on the bench to prevent an injury before the start of the season. Thus from that perspective, Edmunds is expendable.

Unless he has some miraculous performance in the last two pre-season games, it’s hard to keep Edmunds on the final roster or even a practice squad roster. Considering the Steelers now have Harris as their starter, Mcfarland is improving and could conceivably be the number two running back behind Harris.  Then there is the question do you Keep Benny Snell, Jaylen Samuels, and Kalen Ballage, especially with Tony Brooks-James and Pete Guerriero having a decent performance against the Eagles.

The Steelers are top-heavy at the running back position, and with everyone, they have more than likely someone goes to the practice squad instead of being cut. While it would be hard for some to see the Steelers release Trey with his brother Terrell still playing for the Steelers, it’s hard to fathom that Trey benefits the Steelers in 2021. It’s time for his release.

Home/Steelers Roster