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!)
