The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the offseason hoping to finally get over the hump. With a new coaching staff in place, this roster is expected to undergo significant turnover this year as Mike McCarthy attempts to build the team in his own image.
In short, Omar Khan will have a lot of work to do this year.
The first part of that work entails trimming the fat off this roster. After years of mediocre play, this roster is in desperate need of a facelift.
No, the Steelers won’t get rid of every veteran, but the team needs an infusion of talent and youth. Part of that means parting ways with some players not worth their contracts.
Omar Khan can’t let these six Pittsburgh Steelers players return in 2026
Chuck Clark, DB
A room that needs a refresh this offseason (at least from a depth perspective), the safety play was not up to par for this team. Injuries didn’t help, but the plan was for a heavily veteran secondary to help this defense.
It didn’t work, and Chuck Clark was a major reason why. Signed during training camp, Clark has been a consistent player in the league. Never elite, he has provided steady play wherever he has traveled.
That wasn’t the case last year. His coverage was suspect, and his run defense was middling. Even worse, it felt like he dropped far too many interceptions given how many opportunities he had.
A pending free agent, it feels unlikely that Clark returns (the same goes for Jabril Peppers and Kyle Duggar). You can find better depth in free agency, and it feels like the team will draft someone early to provide a future at the position.
Marquez Valdez-Scantling, WR
Another easy target here, Marquez Valdez-Scantling was signed to the practice squad in the middle of the season to provide depth at receiver. Due to the lack of talent in that room, he was called up and thrust into considerable action.
The results weren’t good. Valdez-Scantling never seemed to get on the same page as Aaron Rodgers, even though he was heavily targeted. His ability to win vertically wasn’t on display and didn’t fit into this offense.
While he has ties to McCarthy and this new regime, it would be a tough pill to swallow if Valdez-Scantling is brought back. The receiver room needs a lot of help this year, and bringing back a fading Valdez-Scantling doesn’t help this team.
Calvin Anderson, OT
Calvin Anderson is a weird fit on this team. He was signed two years ago as some emergency depth and, when called into action, his play was mediocre at best. The Steelers opted to bring him back last year on a multi-year deal, which felt unnecessary.
His play didn’t get any worse, but that was because he didn’t see the field. He was injured most of the season, but even when healthy, this team turned to other options. With Dylan Cook shining in his limited reps, Anderson may be the most unnecessary player on this roster right now.
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All of that said, I do expect Anderson to be carried through the draft. He doesn’t have a massive cap hit, and if you don’t find adequate depth through free agency and the draft, you can carry him through camp. That being said, there is little reason to have him on this roster.
Jonnu Smith, TE
While he will have to be cut, Jonnu Smith certainly fits into the easy category of players to move on from. Brought in due to his affinity with Arthur Smith, the hope was for a three-headed tight end room with Smith as a sneaky receiving option.
That never materialized. While heavily used and targeted in the passing game, he was one of the most inefficient players on the field. Numerous miscommunications didn’t help his cause, but Smith failed to make an impact.
Despite being a vertical athletic tight end, he failed to register any deep passes. He averaged a paltry 5.8 yards per reception. He averaged two yards more per touch as a runner than he did as a receiver.
Those numbers are inexcusable, and with an offense that won’t feature as many multiple tight end sets, he has no fit here. Add in the $7 million in cap space you save by cutting him, and this is a no-brainer move.
Malik Harrison, LB
When the Steelers announced that they had signed Malik Harrison for $5 million a season last year, it felt off. Harrison was a fine depth player and special teams player in Baltimore, but you wanted more from him at that kind of salary.
He gave you exactly what you expected. His play on defense was mediocre, and he wasn’t memorable on special teams.
The Steelers have historically liked their depth at linebacker, but Harrison doesn’t feel like an upgrade anywhere. Worse yet, he takes snaps away from Payton Wilson, which is frustrating as fans hoped to see him ascend this year. Harrison inhibited that.
Pittsburgh can save $4.75 million by cutting him. That isn’t much, but for a third linebacker who is only ok on special teams, those funds could be better spent elsewhere.
Mason Rudolph, QB
The most controversial name on this list, Mason Rudolph, is a fine backup quarterback at a fair price tag. He can step in for a few games a season and keep you competitive. Considering what some backups get paid, his $4.6 million cap hit is dirt cheap.
The caveat is, if Rodgers returns for another season (it feels like he will), Rudolph becomes harder to justify keeping. The Will Howard hype-train is at unprecedented levels, and some even expect him to be handed the job if Rodgers doesn’t return.
To be fair, McCarthy has spoken glowingly of the former sixth-round pick. They clearly want to see what they have there. If both Rodgers and Rudolph return, though, suddenly Howard is stuck at third string once again.
Even if Rodgers is the starter, the second string gets a lot of reps in practice. This gives McCarthy a chance to evaluate what they have. Of course, if Rodgers gets hurt or is benched for bad play, you get a chance to evaluate Howard on the field.
If Rodgers doesn’t return and this team actually wants to let Howard sink or swim, Rudolph should remain on the roster. However, if the elderly Rodgers returns, it is hard to justify keeping Rudolph this season.