Steelers: 5 players who won’t be on the roster by Week 1

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – JANUARY 03: Quarterback Joshua Dobbs #5 of the Pittsburgh Steelers scrambles as he looks for a receiver during the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns defeated the Steelers 24-22. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

4. RB Kalen Ballage

This offseason, the team didn’t sign a lot of veterans due to their salary cap issues. But they did add running back Kalen Ballage aboard via a one-year, $920,000 contract (via Spotrac) a month before the draft. Originally a fourth-round draft choice by the Miami Dolphins in 2018, he didn’t really log a lot of playing time out of the backfield while in South Florida.

In ’19, he actually started six games for Brian Flores’ team and scored three touchdowns but ran for only 135 yards on 74 carries. He began this past season with the Jets but finished with the Chargers. The Steelers have first-round pick Najee Harris as well as “juniors” Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland in the backfield.

3. QB Josh Dobbs

The franchise has been seemingly looking for a successor behind veteran Ben Roethlisberger the last few years. The backup that has seen the most playing time in recent years has been 2018 third-round pick Mason Rudolph, who was the primary fill-in for Roethlisberger in ’19 when he missed the final 14 games.

Rudolph also started the team’s 2020 season finale at Cleveland and threw for 315 yards and two scores (1 interception) in a 24-22 loss. Earlier this year, the Steelers added former Washington first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. Josh Dobbs, dealt to Jacksonville in 2019 but back with the team in ‘20, re-signed this offseason but may struggle to retain a roster spot.

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