The Pittsburgh Steelers have their initial 53-man roster set. August 27 was a bad day for nearly 1,000 players around the league who were forced to wave goodbye to their team. While many will sign with NFL practice squads, it doesn't make these decisions any easier.
Omar Khan, Mike Tomlin, and the Steelers pretty much followed the script when it came to cutting their roster down to 53 players. Though we didn't see any outrageous decisions made at the cutdown deadline, here are the biggest surprises.
WR Dez Fitzpatrick
After an impressive preseason that included big plays on offense and special teams, Dez Fitzpatrick found himself as an unexpected roster cut when the deadline passed. Fitzpatrick had a strong summer with the Steelers, and many believed his preseason performance was enough to secure a roster spot.
Unfortunately, the wide receiver won't be contributing in Pittsburgh this season. The Steelers chose to keep just five receivers on their roster, and they preferred what Scotty Miller offers on offense over Fitzpatrick.
EDGE Kyron Johnson
Kyron Johnson was one of the biggest surprise cuts for the Steelers. It was even more surprising to see this decision made hours before the deadline, while other players we knew were not going to make the team ended up lasting longer on the roster.
With T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith resting during the preseason, it was Johnson who worked with Nick Herbig as the other starting outside linebacker. Though Johnson lacks elite size for the edge rusher position, he showcased excellent quickness and burst off the snap. The Steelers elected to keep just three edge rushers on the roster instead of a fourth in Johnson.
DB Ryan Watts (IR)
As a rookie, Ryan Watts showed more than enough to be given a chance to stick on the Steelers' roster in his first NFL season. The sixth-round pick quickly made the transition from cornerback to safety in Pittsburgh, and he flashed in the preseason.
With under two minutes remaining in the preseason finale against the Lions, Watts suffered a scary-looking injury that Mike Tomlin later described as a 'stinger'. Watts got up and walked off under his own power.
Unfortunately, the injury may have been serious enough to keep him off the roster. The Steelers placed Watts on season-ending IR. The talented defensive back is still with the team, but he won't be eligible to suit up again until next year.