With less than a month left before the Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, it’s a good time to take an early crack at what their 53-man roster could look like when Week 1 of the 2026 season rolls around. Free agency and the offseason program are in the books, and the picture is starting to come into focus.
At quarterback, the Steelers appear to be leaning hard toward Will Howard as the No. 2 behind Aaron Rodgers. Howard got QB2 reps during the offseason program, and the team would clearly like him to prove he can handle the backup job.
If the competition is close, Howard has the edge because Pittsburgh would rather keep him than move him. That could leave Mason Rudolph as the odd man out, with a trade potentially involving a pick swap - sending Rudolph and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
If another team offered a fourth-round pick, the Steelers would take it in a heartbeat, just like they did with Kenny Pickett last offseason on two occasions. Drew Allar rounds out the group.
The running back room gets a little more complicated after Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, who are the clear top two. Travis Homer’s special teams value gives him a strong path to a roster spot, and that leaves Kaleb Johnson and Eli Heidenreich fighting for the last place.
Heidenreich wins that battle here because of his versatility and his ability to help on special teams. Johnson, who had just 28 carries for 69 yards as a rookie and doesn’t play special teams, looks like the kind of player Pittsburgh could try to turn into a Day Three pick if another team comes calling.
Wide receiver is where the Steelers are expected to add another veteran name, and the assumption here is that one open spot remains. DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, Germie Bernard, Ben Skowronek, and Kaden Wetjen are treated as safe bets.
Skowronek is in for special teams work, while Wetjen is viewed strictly as a returner. That leaves Noah Brown winning the WR4 battle over Roman Wilson and any outside competition.
Curtis Samuel is mentioned as another possibility, but the injury history makes him a risk. Brown is the safer play, and the projection has Wilson eventually being dealt to the Los Angeles Chargers to reunite with Jim Harbaugh.
Tight end is much easier to sort out. Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington are the top two, and Riley Nowakowski sticks as the hybrid fullback/tight end role player.
The offensive line brings one of the more interesting decisions on the roster, centered on Broderick Jones. He could land on IR, which would open the door for someone like Ryan McCollum, and there’s also the possibility that Pittsburgh tries to move him for draft capital since the team didn’t pick up his fifth-year option and he’s set to hit free agency in 2027.
Outside of that, the group is fairly straightforward. Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Spencer Anderson, Max Iheanachor, Dylan Cook, Gennings Dunker, and Brock Hoffman all make the cut.
Cook is the swing depth piece, Hoffman can back up center or guard, and Dunker is projected to begin behind Anderson before taking over the starting job before mid-season.
On the defensive line, the final spot comes down to Esezi Otomewo, Domenique Davis Rubio, and Logan Lee, with Otomewo getting the nod and Rubio ending up on the practice squad. Lee could also land there, though there’s a chance he’s elsewhere by 2026. Dean Lowry is included despite coming off the torn ACL he suffered last year in training camp, and the top five players in the group give Pittsburgh solid rotational depth.
Outside linebacker may be the simplest group on the team to project. T.J.
Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Jack Sawyer are the names here, and barring a trade involving Highsmith, that’s not expected to change. The hope is simply that Herbig sees more snaps in 2026.
Jamin Davis is the odd man out but lands on the practice squad.
Inside linebacker features Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson at the top, with Cole Holcomb as a dependable No. 3.
Carson Bruener makes the roster after proving he can help on special teams, and he could work his way into the defensive rotation. That would make Malik Harrison the player on the outside looking in, especially with a $6.8 million price tag attached.
Cornerback looks like the deepest part of the roster. Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, and Jalen Ramsey headline the group, with Asante Samuel Jr. able to rotate in.
Ramsey is projected as the top nickel, with safety duties in base and a move down into nickel or dime packages. Brandin Echols gets in after being reliable when called upon last season, and Daylen Everette provides depth and special teams help.
Safety is the thinnest spot on the team, even after the addition of Jaquan Brisker. He and DeShon Elliott are similar players who do their best work closer to the line of scrimmage than in a true ball-hawking role.
Robert Spears-Jennings is penciled in as the No. 3 safety because the Steelers need more speed on the back end, and his 4.32 40 at the NFL Combine was the fastest among safeties. Sebastian Castro rounds out the group, and safety is the position the Steelers might look to address if they make a trade.
The only special teams change in this projection is Johnston returning to replace Corliss Waitman.
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