NFL TEAMS SETTING THEIR INITIAL ROSTERS
NFL teams established their initial 53-man rosters and practice squads just days ago. Teams will continue to add and subtract from their rosters but here is a snapshot just before the start of the 2021 regular season.
This time last season, I found 20 former Steelers on active rosters. Teams tucked away six on practice squads and placed four more on reserve lists just before last season’s start. Of course, players like Antonio Brown were not included since the NFL suspended him at the beginning of the year. But about 30 former Steelers on other NFL team’s active, reserve or practice squads.
This year, I found 26 former Steelers on other team’s current 53-man rosters. Three others are on reserve lists. Seven former Steelers show up on practice squads around the league. A slight increase of six former Steelers showing up with other teams from last year.
Here are the former Steelers appearing on active rosters, reserve lists and practice squads near the start of the 2021 season:
EX-STEELERS AROUND THE LEAGUE
| TEAM | POSITION | NAME | ROSTER |
| AFC EAST | |||
| Buffalo Bills | MLB | Tyler Matakevich | 53 |
| Buffalo Bills | WR | Emmanuel Sanders | 53 |
| Miami Dolphins | NONE | ||
| New England Patriots | QB | Brian Hoyer | PS |
| New York Jets | NONE | ||
| AFC NORTH | |||
| Baltimore Ravens | T | Alejandro Villanueva | 53 |
| Baltimore Ravens | WR | Deon Cain | Reserve IR |
| Baltimore Ravens | LB | LJ Fort | Reserve IR |
| Cincinnati Bengals | G | Fred Johnson | 53 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | CB | Mike Hilton | 53 |
| Cleveland Browns | T | Chris Hubbard | 53 |
| Cleveland Browns | WR | Ryan Switzer | Reserve IR |
| AFC SOUTH | |||
| Houston Texans | NONE | ||
| Indianapolis Colts | S | Sean Davis | PS |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | NONE | ||
| Tennessee Titans | LB | Ola Adeniyi | 53 |
| Tennessee Titans | LB | Bud Dupree | 53 |
| Tennessee Titans | T | Derwin Gray | PS |
| Tennessee Titans | T | Christian DiLauro | PS |
| AFC WEST | |||
| Denver Broncos | WR | Diontae Spencer | 53 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | NONE | ||
| Las Vegas Raiders | NONE | ||
| Los Angeles Chargers | G | Matt Feiler | 53 |
| NFC EAST | |||
| Dallas Cowboys | CB | C.J. Goodwin | 53 |
| New York Giants | OLB | Quincy Roche | 53 |
| Washington Redskins | LB | Jon Bostic | 53 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | DT | Javon Hargrave | 53 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | CB | Steven Nelson | 53 |
| NFC NORTH | |||
| Chicago Bears | TE | Jesse James | 53 |
| Chicago Bears | DB | Artie Burns | 53 |
| Detroit Lions | DT | Nick Williams | 53 |
| Green Bay Packers | DE | Abdullah Anderson | PS |
| Minnesota Vikings | P | Jordan Berry | 53 |
| NFC SOUTH | |||
| Atlanta Falcons | NONE | ||
| Carolina Panthers | NONE | ||
| New Orleans Saints | TE | Nick Vannett | 53 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | WR | Antonio Brown | 53 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | NT | Steve McLendon | 53 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | CB | Ross Cockrell | 53 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | T | Brandon Walton | PS |
| NFC WEST | |||
| Arizona Cardinals | T | Kelvin Beachum | 53 |
| Arizona Cardinals | RB | James Conner | 53 |
| Los Angeles Rams | DB | Antoine Brooks Jr. | PS |
| San Francisco 49ers | NONE | ||
| Seattle Seahawks | DT | Al Woods | 53 |
Former Steelers Out in the Cold
Here are 18 former Steelers that appeared on NFL rosters other than the Steelers last season but are currently not with a team:
| POS | NAME | Last Transaction/News |
| RB | Le’Veon Bell | Free Agent not re-signed by Chiefs |
| C | A.Q. Shipley | Buccaneers placed on IR 11/28/2020. Retired |
| K | Randy Bullock | Released by Lions August 31, 2021 |
| LB | Mark Barron | Cut by Broncos December 23, 2020 |
| LS | Colin Holba | Cut by Rams May 13, 2021 |
| T | R.J. Prince | Waived by Patriots August 24, 2021 |
| T | Marcus Gilbert | Announced Retirement April 26, 2021 |
| WR | Donte Moncrief | Released by Texans July 27, 2021 |
| C | Patrick Morris | Titans waived him August 6, 2021 |
| T | Jake Rodgers | Ravens waived him December 7, 2020 |
| WR | Johnny Holton | Giants released him from PS October 5, 2020 |
| OLB | Anthony Chickillo | Announced retirement July 11, 2021 |
| LB | Tuzar Skipper | Falcons waived him August 31, 2021 |
| DE | Josh Mauro | |
| DB | Stephen Denmark | Packers released him August 31, 2021 |
| G | Danny Isidora | Texans released him August 31, 2021 |
| DB | Alexander Myres | |
| S | J.J. Wilcox | Falcons released from PS October 20, 2020 |
Former Steelers from 2020 Regular Season Roster
Finally, here are 14 former Steelers that appeared on Pittsburgh’s 2020 regular season roster but are not currently on another team’s roster.:
| POS | NAME | Last Transaction/News |
| LS | Kam Canaday | Steelers released him August 31, 2021 |
| P | Dustin Colquitt | PS contract ended with Chiefs February 16, 2021 |
| S | Jordan Dangerfield | Steelers did not renew his contract for 2021 |
| G | David DeCastro | Steelers released him June 24, 2021 |
| LB | Jayrone Elliott | Remains unsigned in 2021 |
| T | Jerald Hawkins | Patriots released him August 16, 2021 |
| TE | Vance McDonald | Announced his retirement January 22, 2021 |
| C | Maurkice Pouncey | Announced his retirement February 12, 2021 |
| LB | Tegray Scales | Browns waived him August 31, 2021 |
| RB | Wendell Smallwood | PS contract ended with Steelers January 18, 2021 |
| LB | Vince Williams | Announced his retirement July 21, 2021 |
| LB | Avery Williamson | He remains a free agent |
| G | Stefen Wisniewski | Finished last season with Chiefs. Retired August 26 |
| K | Matthew Wright | Lions waived him August 12, 2021 |
| DE | Henry Mondeaux | Released September 3 in Witherspoon trade |
CONCLUSION
This year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers replace the Denver Broncos as the only team with more than two former Steelers on their 53-man roster to start the season.
Just nine NFL teams do not have a former Steeler on one of their rosters (active, reserve, or practice squad). As of September 3, 2021 36 former Steelers appear on teams around the NFL.
Rosters are fluid especially at seasons’ start. So, expect these lists to change shape as the season progresses. Let me know who I missed in the comments.
Your Music Selection
I always like to offer a music selection. Steelers will be playing their first regular season game of 2021 soon. I don’t know about you but I Can’t Wait by Nu Shooz.
