The Pittsburgh Steelers have played all three of their 2025 preseason games and by Tuesday at 4 PM/ET, they will need to trim their roster down to 53 active players. With that being the case, it’s time for me to throw out my fourth and final 53-man Steelers’ roster prediction for 2024.
As usual, I have included some analysis under each position group, and I invite you to post your own differences in the comments below along with your 53-man roster prediction.
While this is my final 53-man roster prediction for Tuesday’s initial group, I do think the team could add and subtract from its final one over the course of the next week.
Links to my first three 53-man roster predictions are below.
Bryan: 2025 Steelers 53-Man Roster Prediction: Pre-Training Camp Edition
Bryan: 2025 Steelers 53-Man Roster Prediction: Post-Preseason Opener
Bryan: 2025 Steelers 53-Man Roster Prediction – Post Second Preseason Game
Offense (24)
Quarterbacks (3) – Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard
Analysis: Skylar Thompson certainly played well during the preseason and with Howard working back from a broken bone in his hand for the last three weeks, it’s not out of the question that the rookie will be sent to the Reserve/Injured list as a designated-to-return player prior to Tuesday afternoon.
Thompson, however, might have some decent trade value right now. Just look at the quarterback depth charts of the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints, as examples. The Raiders really need an experienced backup quarterback right now due to them losing Aidan O’Connell to injury Saturday night. Howard should be close to ready two weeks for now.
If the Steelers can trade Thompson for a sixth-round draft pick, they should. I think they just might get that kind of offer. In short, I am betting that Howard is not sent to IR and that Thompson will be traded by Tuesday at 4 PM/ET.
Running Backs (3) – Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, Kaleb Johnson
Analysis: These have been my three running backs ever since the 2025 NFL Draft concluded. Great arguments can be made to keep Trey Sermon as well, but I just can’t find a way to carve out a roster spot for him on my final 53-man prediction. Hopefully Sermon will ultimately land on the Steelers practice squad along with Lew Nichols, who also had a very nice preseason showing.
Wide Receivers (5) – DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek
Analysis: Might the Steelers add an experienced outsider to this group in the next two weeks? That’s a plausible notion. While we wait to see if such an addition happens, I have these five listed as the initial five wide receivers. Robert Woods just did not do enough to be kept around, in my opinion. Skowronek is likely to be one of two gunners on the punt coverage team once again, and he certainly can play a little bit on offense like last season.
Ke’Shawn Williams should make the practice squad as he has punt returner value. Will Brandon Johnson be healthy enough to cut and make it to the practice squad, too? We’ll see.
Tight Ends (4) – Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
Analysis: These four have been my four ever since Smith was traded for. None of the other tight ends the Steelers had on their offseason roster ever really challenged Heyward for the fourth spot. He should at least make the initial 53-man roster and likely the Week 1 as well, unless the team can find a better blocking tight end that can also play on special teams in the next two weeks after all initial cuts around the NFL are made.
Offensive Linemen (9) – Isaac Seumalo, Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, Ryan McCollum, Calvin Anderson, Dylan Cook
Analysis: Most of these nine offensive linemen seem to have been locks for most of the offseason. Calvin Anderson has not practiced since the annual Friday Night Lights practice but HC Mike Tomlin made it sound like on Saturday that he might be ready to go by the start of the regular season. I will guess he will not be placed on the Reserve/Injured list as a designated-to-return player and also not cut. Remember, the Steelers signed Calvin Anderson to a two-year contract during the offseason so they did imagine him being their swing tackle option like last year.
I also have Cook making the roster again after he played both tackle spots during the preseason. He has dabbled some at left guard in a previous preseason as well. As for me not keeping Andrus Peat, he is only a left side player and really a better left guard than he is a left tackle. If Calvin Anderson is cut or goes to the Reserve/Injured list, Peat probably sticks around.
Defense (26)
Defensive Linemen (7) – Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Daniel Ekuale, Esezi Otomewo
Analysis: It sounds like the Steelers dodged a huge bullet when it comes to the knee injury that Harmon sustained during the team’s preseason finale. In short, he will most likely not need to start the regular season on the Reserve/Injured list. He might, however, not be healthy enough to play in Week 1, so the Steelers might need six other defensive linemen to start the regular season. Obviously, Black is making the 53-man roster, and I think Loudermilk and Ekuale will as well.
I am kind of questionable when it comes to Otomewo. Even so, I thought he clearly outplayed Logan Lee during the preseason.
Inside Linebackers (5) – Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Malik Harrison, Carson Bruener
Analysis: After going back through all of the preseason tape one final time, I certainly can now see a legitimate reason for Bruener, a 2025 draft class member, to make the 53-man roster over veteran Mark Robinson. Like Robinson did, Bruener should fit in well on special teams and he has some longer-term upside to him as a backup inside linebacker. I think Robinson might make it back to the practice squad if he is cut this coming week. Always keep your draft picks whenever possible.
Outside Linebackers (4) – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer
Analysis: While Eku Leota did have a nice preseason showing, there is just no room for him on the 53-man roster. I have him clearing waivers and landing on the practice squad along with Julius Welschof. These four outside linebackers listed give the Steelers nine total linebackers on their 53-man roster with Sawyer also being able to add value on special teams as a rookie. These four obviously make the most sense with Sawyer making the team as a fourth round draft pick.
Cornerbacks (6) – Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, Brandin Echols, James Pierre, Beanie Bishop Jr.
Analysis: This is a tough position group to figure out on the back end beyond Echols. Pierre is a top gunner and that’s why he’s likely to make the 53-man roster once again. Bishop did not play in the preseason finale due to some sort of injury and that is a bit concerning with him likely entering that contest as a player on the bubble. Cory Trice Jr. is still working his way back from injury and so I will have him landing on the Reserve/Injured list as a designated-to-return player.
Safeties (4) – DeShon Elliott, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Miles Killebrew
Analysis: These four have seem destined to be the final four every since Minkah Fitzpatrick was traded and Clark was signed. Killebrew is obviously a top NFL special teams player. I think rookie Sebastian Castro will land on the practice squad.
Specialists (3)
Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell
Analysis: Yeah, this was a free square all offseason. Will the Steelers give Boswell more cash on his contract in the next two weeks? That’s the biggest question surrounding him with two weeks to go until the regular season gets underway.
Punter (1) – Corliss Waitman
Analysis: Cameron Johnston put up a strong battle against Waitman. In the end, I think Waitman might have the stronger leg of the two and he certainly averaged better hangtimes than Johnston did during the preseason. Waitman also brings his left-footed trait into play. On top of everything else, Boswell had a career season in 2024 with Waitman holding for him. Maybe that part of the operation does not need to be messed with.
Maybe the Steelers can trade the loser of this punter battle soon. I think the loser will be Johnston, but I am not willing to bet my house on such a prediction.
Long Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz
Analysis: It sounds like Kuntz will be able to return from his sternum injury by Week 1. The Steelers already cut veteran Jake McQuaide, who was signed to long snap during the preseason finale. Maybe McQuaide lands on the practice squad to start the regular season as elevation insurance for Kuntz. That’s plausible.
Non 53-Man Spots (21)
Reserve/Injured (4) – Donald Parham Jr., Dean Lowry, Cory Trice Jr., Cameron McCutcheon
Analysis: Parham and Lowry are likely to be on this list all season. As explained earlier in this post, I think Trice might land on this list as a designated-to-return player by Tuesday afternoon. As for McCutcheon being on this list, he has yet to be waived with an injury settlement.
Practice Squad (17) – RB Trey Sermon, ILB Mark Robinson, T/G Andrus Peat, G/C Max Scharping, WR Max Hurleman, OLB Eku Leota, WR Ke’Shawn Williams, TE JJ Galbreath, RB Lew Nichols, CB D’Shawn Jamison, DT Domenique Davis, CB Daryl Porter Jr., CB Donte Kent, DT Logan Lee, S Sebastian Castro, LS Jake McQuaide, and OLB Julius Welschof (INT Exemption)
Analysis: Just 17 last dart throws at practice squad signings and all from the remaining roster. The Steelers have a history of adding several players released from other NFL teams so obviously all 17 of my selections won’t hit. It will be interesting to see how many of these 17 players do wind up starting the 2025 regular season on the practice squad.
Summary: Let’s look at my changes this time around. Cameron Johnston, Mark Robinson, and Andrus Peat are the players who are not on listed in this final 53-man prediction who were in the third one. Added this time around are Corliss Waitman, Carson Bruener, and Calvin Anderson.
While this is my initial 53-man roster prediction for the Steelers come Tuesday evening, I really think there could be a few additions and/or subtractions made prior to the team traveling to their first game of the 2025 regular season. This team really could use another tackle and maybe even a wide receiver. How the quarterback room ends up will be fun to watch. Will Howard go to IR? Will Thompson get traded? Will Bishop make it? Will Trice go to IR? Will the team keep seven total defensive linemen with Harmon banged up? Will Calvin Anderson stay on the active roster?
We shall find out the answers to all of theses questions very soon.
Week 1 Inactives (5) – Will Howard (3rd QB), Beanie Bishop Jr., Dylan Cook, Derrick Harmon, Malik Harrison
