For roughly 2,900 NFL players, the focus is on the 2024 preseason. August will be a defining month in the lives of many players. For some, their performances will cause them to move up or down the depth chart. Unfortunately, roughly 40 percent of each roster will be out of work before the start of the season. The Pittsburgh Steelers have some difficult decisions to make.
The Steelers have showcased strong depth at numerous positions, but not everyone can make the team. Unfortunately, this will be the final opportunity for many NFL hopefuls, as the 2025 NFL Draft will usher in hundreds of young players to compete with.
Some roster decisions will be easy for the Steelers. While everyone at camp is competing with the best football league in the world, the talent gap for some is noticeable. Other choices won't be as easy, a few players who get cut by Pittsburgh could be snatched up by opposing teams via waivers.
Of those who miss the mark to land on the Steelers' final 53-man roster for the 2024 season, Pittsburgh could sign up to 16 players to their practice squad who could be promoted to the roster in the event of injuries to players on the team.
As players scrap and claw to earn the respect of the coaching staff at practice and during preseason games, we will keep you updated with every roster cut the Pittsburgh Steelers make as they narrow their roster from 90 players down to 53 by the start of the 2024 season.
Full list of Steelers roster cuts
Name | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Markus Golden | OLB | Reserve/Retired List |
Breiden Fehoko | DT | Reserve/Injured List |
Kalon Barnes | CB | Waived/Injured |
Tarik Black | CB | Waived/Injured |
Grayland Arnold | CB | Reserve/Injured |
Nate Herbig | C/G | Reserve/Injured |
Anthony Averett | CB | Cut |
Kyler McMichael | DB | Cut |
Kiondre Thomas | DB | Cut |
DL Marquiss Spencer | DL | Cut |
Kyahva Tezino | LB | Cut |
Tyler Beach | OL | Cut |
Devery Hamilton | OT | Cut |
Daijun Edwards | RB | Cut |
Jacob Copeland | WR | Cut |
TJ Luther | WR | Cut |
Anderson Hardy | OL | Cut |
Kyler McMichael | DB | Cut |
Matthew Wright | K | Cut |
Kyron Johnson | OLB | Cut |
Quez Watkins | WR | Terminated |
Thomas Graham Jr. | CB | Cut |
Jack Colletto | FB | Cut |
Luquay Washington | LB | Cut |
Jacoby Windmon | LB | Cut |
Marcus Haynes | LB | Cut |
Zyon Gilbert | CB | Cut |
Willington Previlon | DL | Cut |
Jacob Slade | DL | Cut |
Tykeem Doss | OL | Cut |
Joey Fisher | OL | Cut |
John Rhys Plumlee | QB | Cut |
Aaron Shampklin | RB | Cut |
Matt Sokol | TE | Cut |
Rodney Williams | TE | Cut |
Jaray Jenkins | WR | Cut |
Duece Watts | WR | Cut |
Dez Fitzpatrick | WR | Cut |
La'Mical Perine | RB | Terminated |
Jonathan Ward | RB | Terminated |
Dylan Cook | OT | IR to return |
Jeremiah Moon | OLB | IR to return |
Ryan Watts | SS | Season-ending IR |
Julius Welschof | OLB | Season-ending IR |
Cole Holcomb | LB | PUP/reserve |
Steelers roster cut tracker
Though the Steelers have made a handful of transitions since the start of July, these moves were made to injured or underperforming players and were accompanied by corresponding moves to round out their 90-man summer roster. We will update the roster cut tracker as soon as Pittsburgh begins the process of cutting down to their final roster.
Biggest Steelers positional battles
Quarterback: While veteran Kyle Allen began has been the team's third-string quarterback at Steelers training camp, undrafted rookie John Rhys Plumlee has closed the gap. There's only one available spot on the 53-man roster outside of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Allen and Plumlee will be fighting for it.
Wide receiver: It's a daunting task to predict which receivers will claim the final few spots on the 53-man roster. Veterans Scotty Miller and Quez Watkins will be locked in a heated battle while Dez Fitzpatrick hopes his ability as a special teams defenseman will give him an edge.
Interior defensive line: The Steelers have a jumbled mess at the bottom of their defensive line group. There are likely two roster spots to go around for three players: Isaiahh Loudermilk, DeMarvin Leal, and Logan Lee. This is a dog-eat-dog situation.
Linebacker: Mark Robinson could be on his last legs in Pittsburgh as special teams expert Tyler Matakevich looks to push him off the roster. Both players could make the team if Cole Holcomb isn't ready to return to the field early in the season, but one will be out of a job at some point in 2024.
Cornerback: We know Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson will start at cornerback for the Steelers, but the depth behind them is anyone's guess. Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush are long, athletic cornerbacks, but Anthony Averett, Thomas Graham Jr., and Kalon Barnes are fighting hard for a roster spot this year. Meanwhile, Grayland Arnold is looking to show why he sticks on the roster as an extra nickel and sub-package cornerback.
Projecting the final available roster spots
WR5: Between Quez Watkins, Scotty Miller, Dez Fitzpatrick, and others, the fifth (and potentially final) wide receiver spot will come down to the wire.
CB5: The young cornerbacks on this team will need to prove their worth to the coaching staff to separate themselves from the pack. Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush are talented enough to make the roster, but either could be joining Grayland Arnold, Thomas Graham Jr., or Anthony Averett to fight for the last cornerback spot if Pittsburgh keeps only five this year.
DL7: If the Steelers keep just seven interior defenders, rookies Logan Lee and Breiden Fehoko could be the odd men out if Leal and Loudermilk make the cut as the fifth and sixth defensive linemen on the team in 2024.
Injuries that could cloud the roster decisions
LB Cole Holcomb: Pittsburgh's starting linebacker from the 2023 season is still rehabbing from the gruesome knee injury he sustained in the middle of the season last year. If Holcomb isn't ready to go, this could pave the way for both Tyler Matakevich and Mark Robinson to make the initial Steelers roster to begin the 2024 season.
DL Dean Lowry: The veteran defensive lineman missed significant practice time at Steelers training camp and may not be up to speed when the season starts. This could open the door for a player like Logan Lee or Breiden Fehoko to earn a roster spot.
Players on Steelers roster bubble
Here are all of the players on the Pittsburgh Steelers' summer roster who are not guaranteed to have a spot on the team during the 2024 season.
This list is derived from how players are performing at Steelers training camp, the depth ahead of them on the roster, and each player's reputation with the team. This does not include players who are easy-cut candidates. Rather, the players who are firmly on the 'bubble' in which the decision to make the roster could go either way.
- QB Kyle Allen
- QB John Rhys Plumlee
- RB La'Mical Perine
- FB Jack Colletto
- WR Scotty Miller
- WR Dez Fitzpatrick
- WR Jaray Jenkins
- TE MyCole Pruitt
- TE Rodney Williams
- OT Dylan Cook
- OL Spencer Anderson
- DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
- DL DeMarvin Leal
- DL Logan Lee
- OLB Markus Golden
- OLB Jeremiah Moon
- OLB Julius Welschof (international)
- LB Mark Robinson
- LB Tyler Matakevich
- CB Cory Trice Jr.
- CB Darius Rush
- DB Ryan Watts