The Pittsburgh Steelers entered roster cut day on Sunday with one question everyone wanted to know the answer to: Would they seriously carry four quarterbacks among their 53 players for Week 1? The answer to that question was, in fact, yes: Once the clock struck 6 p.m. ET, both Drew Allar and Will Howard had survived to join Aaron Rodgers and backup Mason Rudolph.
Allar was already inclined to become a fan favorite, but he really opened some eyes with his strong play during preseason. Howard wasn't quite so impressive, but his track record at Ohio State still carries some weight just one year after being drafted. Question the resource allocation there all you want, but the team clearly believes in both enough to not leave them exposed to the rest of the league as they consider their future at the position in 2027 and beyond.
Of course, in a zero-sum game, every roster spot you hand out has to come at the expense of somebody else. And sure enough, several notable names were sent packing ahead of the roster deadline, including tackle Broderick Jones (to the Cowboys) and running back Kaleb Johnson (to Green Bay). Who else wasn't so lucky, and who made the cut? Here's how Pittsburgh's roster will look entering their Week 1 matchup with the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Packers 53-man depth chart after roster cut day
Offense
Position | Starter | Second team | Third team |
|---|---|---|---|
QB | Aaron Rodgers | Mason Rudolph | Will Howard/Drew Allar |
RB | Jaylen Warren | Rico Dowdle | Eli Heidenreich |
FB | Riley Nowakowski | ||
WR | DK Metcalf | Ben Skowronek | |
WR | Michael Pittman Jr. | Roman Wilson | |
WR | Germie Bernard | Kaden Wetjen | |
TE | Pat Freiermuth | Darnell Washington | Robert Tonyan |
LT | Troy Fautanu | Max Iheanachor | |
LG | Mason McCormick | Gennings Dunker | |
C | Zach Frazier | Ryan McCollum | |
RG | Spencer Anderson | Brock Hoffman | |
RT | Dylan Cook | Max Iheanachor |
Yes, really: Pittsburgh is carrying all four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster to start the 2026 season, including 2025 draftee Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar. The team clearly believes in both its youngsters moving forward, but trusting either of them should Aaron Rodgers get hurt — hardly a fanciful thought given his age and recent history — felt like a bridge too far. So Mason Rudolph is here as well as another veteran voice who can hopefully keep the ship afloat.
That, combined with carrying a fullback in Riley Nowakowski, does come with some costs elsewhere. The Steelers have exactly one backup tackle in rookie Max Iheanachor, and the receiver room leaves something to be desired after the top three of DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard. But this team should be able to run the ball well under Mike McCarthy, and with this defense, that might be enough to contend.
Defense
Position | Starter | Second team | Third team |
|---|---|---|---|
DE | Derrick Harmon | Gabriel Rubio | Kevin Jobity Jr. |
DT | Yahya Black | Sebastian Joseph-Day | |
DE | Cameron Heyward | Keeanu Benton | |
EDGE | TJ Watt | Nate Herbig | |
EDGE | Alex Highsmith | Jack Sawyer | |
LB | Payton Wilson | Cole Holcomb | |
LB | Patrick Queen | Carson Bruener | |
CB | Joey Porter Jr. | Asante Samuel Jr. | |
CB | Jamel Dean | Daylen Everette | |
NB | Jalen Ramsey | Brandin Echols | |
FS | Robert Spears-Jennings | ||
SS | Jaquan Brisker | Rayshawn Jenkins |
The Steelers cut both Malik Harrison and Elandon Roberts, leaving things very thin at off-ball linebacker behind Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen. Granted, neither Harrison nor Roberts are real difference-makers, but it's still noteworthy just how little proven depth Pittsburgh has at this position. They also held on to Joey Porter Jr., and are now set to enter 2026 with a nice group of cornerbacks that will hopefully help mask the situation at safety. This fearsome pass rush should help in that department, too.
Special teams
Position | Starter |
|---|---|
K | Chris Boswell |
P | Cameron Johnston |
LS | Christian Kuntz |
Death, taxes and Chris Boswell holding down kicking duties in Pittsburgh. Long may he reign.
Pittsburgh Steelers roster cuts and trades, ranked
Steelers trade Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers
Kaleb Johnson never really stood a chance, as the Steelers running back made a critical kickoff error in one of his first NFL games. Out of Iowa, Johnson was considered a perfect fit for Arthur Smith's running scheme. That, of course, couldn't have been further from the truth, and Johnson was quickly burried on the depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and now Rico Dowdle. NFL head coaches love players they can trust. Johnson was not one of those, and it doesn't matter how high he was drafted considering that pick was made by a previous regime.
Steelers trade Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys
The Steelers traded Broderick Jones and a fourth-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick and sixth-round selection. Jones was a former first-round pick in the Tomlin regime, but failed to adjust to the professional level. Broderick always had the athleticism to succeed in the pros — and perhaps Dallas can unlock him better than the Steelers ever could — but his hand placement and fundamentals never quite clicked. His recent injury history also made getting back up to game weight a challenge in camp.
Steelers release LB Elandon Roberts
Roberts was a surprise cut, as he was just added to the roster a few weeks ago. The Steelers inside linebacker group is thin enough as is, so don't be surprised if Pittsburgh tries to add Roberts back to the practice squad. His experience with Patrick Graham is a plus, and Roberts is as sure of a tackler as there is on the Steelers roster. This could be the issue with rostering four quarterbacks, however, in Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar. Other positions of importance could lack depth, including one the Steelers aren't all that confident in.
Complete list of Pittsburgh Steelers roster cuts
- RB Alex Tecza
- WR Jakobie Keeney-James
- WR Cornell Powell
- WR Isaiah Winstead
- TE Jaheim Bell
- OL Gregory Crippen
- DB Jaylon Guilbeau
- DB Jack Henderson
- DB Brandon Hill
- DB Tamon Lynum
- DB Daryl Porter Jr.
- LB Jamin Davis
- WR Levi Wentz
- LB Elandon Roberts
- DL Dean Lowry
- DL Esezi Otomewo
- LB Malik Harrison
- DL Anthony Goodlow
- DL Kyler Baugh
- DB Devan Boykin
- DB Sebastian Castro
- WR Max Hurleman
- DB D'Shawn Jamison
- OL Steven Jones
- TE Lance Mason
- TE Lake McRee
- OL Doug Nester
- RB Lew Nichols
- DB Doneiko Slaughter
- WR Brandon Smith
- LB Julius Welschof
- LB Jacoby Windmon
Roberts and Lowry are the most well-known players released by the Steelers before the roster deadline. Lowry's been involved with the team in a few training camps now, but couldn't quite make the cut thanks to a deep interior defense line group that includes Cameron Heyward, Keanu Benton and Derrick Harmon. Malik Harrison stood out as an obvious cut candidate due to his significant cap hit and underwhelming play last season, but few expected Roberts to be following him out the door, leaving Pittsburgh's depth at off-ball linebacker perilous.
The other big name on this list is Jamin Davis, a first-round pick of the Commanders back in 2021 who flashed at times this preseason but ultimately fell victim to Pittsburgh's enviable star power at EDGE. He could well catch on with another team soon.
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