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Perspective Of An Average Steelers Fan: Former Steelers Around The NFL (2023)

NFL TEAMS SET 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 week one of the 2023 regular season.

This time last season, I found 33 former Steelers on active rosters. Teams tucked away 12 more on practice squads and placed one on a reserve list. During the season, four more former Steelers signed with teams to make 50 who appeared on a roster in the 2022 regular season. This does not count players who appeared on preseason 90-man rosters. Just 53-man rosters, practice squads and reserve lists after final cutdowns.

This year, I found 31 former Steelers on other team’s current 53-man rosters. Seven former Steelers show up on practice squads and three on injured reserve. A decrease of nine former Steelers showing up with other teams from last year.

EX-STEELERS AROUND THE NFL

Here are the former Steelers appearing on active rosters, reserve lists and practice squads near the start of the 2022 season:

TEAM POSITION NAME LIST
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills MLB Tyler Matakevich 53-Man Roster
Miami Dolphins NONE
New England Patriots WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 53-Man Roster
New England Patriots P Corliss Waitman 53-Man Roster
New York Jets DT Al Woods 53-Man Roster
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens CB Arthur Maulet 53-Man Roster
Cincinnati Bengals CB Mike Hilton 53-Man Roster
Cleveland Browns NONE
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans CB Steve Nelson 53-Man Roster
Houston Texans C Kendrick Green 53-Man Roster
Houston Texans DT Khalil Davis Practice Squad
Indianapolis Colts RB Jason Huntley Practice Squad
Jacksonville Jaguars NONE
Tennessee Titans T Chris Hubbard 53-Man Roster
Tennessee Titans TE Kevin Rader 53-Man Roster
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos S P.J. Locke Injured Reserve
Kansas City Chiefs QB Chris Oladokun Practice Squad
Las Vegas Raiders QB Brian Hoyer 53-Man Roster
Las Vegas Raiders LB Robert Spillane 53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Chargers DE Nick Williams 53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Chargers TE Nick Vannett 53-Man Roster
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys CB C.J. Goodwin Practice Squad
New York Giants C J.C. Hassenauer Injured Reserve
Philadelphia Eagles G Fred Johnson 53-Man Roster
Philadelphia Eagles S Terrell Edmunds 53-Man Roster
Wash Commanders OL Trenton Scott 53-Man Roster
Wash Commanders DE Abdullah Anderson Practice Squad
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears WR Chase Claypool 53-Man Roster
Detroit Lions DT Isaiah Buggs 53-Man Roster
Detroit Lions CB Cam Sutton 53-Man Roster
Green Bay Packers NONE
Minnesota Vikings NONE
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons LB Bud Dupree 53-Man Roster
Carolina Panthers NONE
New Orleans Saints G Trai Turner Injured Reserve
Tampa Bay Buccaneers G Matt Feiler 53-Man Roster
Tampa Bay Buccaneers T Brandon Walton 53-Man Roster
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals T Kelvin Beachum 53-Man Roster
Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner 53-Man Roster
Arizona Cardinals QB Josh Dobbs 53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Rams G Kevin Dotson 53-Man Roster
Los Angeles Rams CB Ahkello Witherspoon 53-Man Roster
San Francisco 49ers WR Ray-Ray McCloud 53-Man Roster
San Francisco 49ers DT Javon Hargrave 53-Man Roster
San Francisco 49ers K Matthew Wright Practice Squad
Seattle Seahawks LB Devin Bush 53-Man Roster
Seattle Seahawks CB Artie Burns Practice Squad

 

FORMER STEELERS OUT IN THE COLD

Here are 23 former Steelers that appeared on NFL rosters other than the Steelers last season but are currently not with a team:

LAST TEAM 2022 POSITION NAME LAST TRANSACTION OR NEWS
Miami Dolphins OLB Melvin Ingram Declared Free Agent 14 Mar 2023
Miami Dolphins CB Chris Steele Released by Seahawks 28 Aug 2023
New York Jets WR Diontae Spencer Waived injured by Jets 12 Aug 2023
Cincinnati Bengals LB Tegray Scales Activated to XFL Orlando Guardians roster 7 Apr 2023
Cleveland Browns OL Joe Haeg Released by Browns 5 Jun 2023
Cleveland Browns TE Jesse James Released by Saints 29 Aug 2023
Tennessee Titans LB Ola Adeniyi Visited Broncos early Aug 2023 but unsigned
Tennessee Titans K Randy Bullock Released by Titans 22 Feb 2023
Tennessee Titans LB Joe Schobert Released by Titans 12 Dec 2022; played six games
Tennessee Titans G Danny Isidora Released from Titans practice squad 10 Jan 2023
Los Angeles Chargers OLB Derek Tuszka Played 14 games for Chargers in 2022
Dallas Cowboys WR James Washington Released by the Colts 28 Aug 2023
New York Giants CB Justin Layne Claimed by Panthers but didn’t report released 8 Mar 2023
New York Giants DE Henry Mondeaux Waived injured by Jaguars 22 Aug 2023
New York Giants OLB Quincy Roche Released by Steelers 29 Aug 2023
Philadelphia Eagles WR Deon Cain Released by Eagles 26 Aug 2023
Washington Commanders LB Jon Bostic Declared Free Agency 13 Mar 2023
Minnesota Vikings OT Christian DiLauro Waived by Vikings 28 Aug 2023
New Orleans Saints DE Taco Charlton Injury settlement with 49ers 26 Aug 2023
Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Ulysees Gilbert III Waived by Buccaneers 28 Aug 2023
Arizona Cardinals T Rashaad Coward Waived by Texans 28 Aug 2023
Arizona Cardinals CB Josh Jackson Free Agent 13 Mar 2023
San Francisco 49ers LB Buddy Johnson Waived injured by Bears 18 Aug 2023

 

2022 STEELERS OUT OF NFL

Finally, here are 16 former Steelers that appeared on Pittsburgh’s 2022 regular season roster but are not currently on another team’s roster:

LAST 2021 TEAM POSITION NAME LAST TRANSACTION OR NEWS
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Marcus Allen Remains Free Agent since 13 Mar 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers DE Tyson Alualu Remains Free Agent since 13 Mar 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers OLB Ryan Anderson Waived by Bears 25 Jul 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers DT Carlos Davis Released by Falcons 29 Aug 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers OT Jesse Davis Remains Free Agent since 13 Mar 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Myles Jack Announced retirement 20 Aug 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Jamir Jones Released by Steelers 1 Apr 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Malik Reed Released by Dolphins 28 Aug 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers K Nick Sciba Signed with USFL New Jersey Generals 31 Jan 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Delontae Scott Released by Dolphins 26 Aug 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Steven Sims Released by Texans 29 Aug 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers RB Benny Snell Released by the Lions 29 Aug 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers FB Derek Watt Remains Free Agent since 13 Mar 2023
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Cody White Released 25 Aug 2023 due to injury
Pittsburgh Steelers CB Quincy Wilson Released from practice squad 22 Nov 2022 after 1 game
Pittsburgh Steelers DT Chris Wormley Remains Free Agent since 13 Mar 2023

CONCLUSION

The Tennessee Titans dumped a lot of their former Steelers. So, they no longer wear the crown of having the most former Steelers. This season, three teams have three players on their 53-man roster or practice squad: Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and San Francisco 49ers.

Just six NFL teams do not have a former Steeler on one of their rosters (active, practice squad, or reserve list). Down from nine in 2022. Surprisingly, the NFC West has the most former Steelers with ten spread out among the four teams. On the other hand, the AFC North only has two with the Cleveland Browns down to none this season. As of September 1, 2023, 41 former Steelers appear on teams around the NFL. But there will be free agents that will likely be added to rosters as the regular season progresses.

Rosters are fluid especially at the start of season. So, expect these snapshot lists to change shape as the season progresses. Let me know who I missed in the comments.

Your Song Selection

I always like to include a bit of music. A lot of players on the market to find another team. Must be discouraging. But for all those players released this past Tuesday. Here is Don’t Stop Believin’ performed by Journey. That’s for you Alex.

(Ed Note. Thank you!) 

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