The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2026 NFL season with their initial 53-man roster set, but that number is hardly carved in stone. Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons is here, and while most of the group should be safe, the back end of the roster is exactly where teams tend to keep making changes.
That means a few Steelers are already walking a thin line. If performance slips, or if injuries force the team to look for help elsewhere, the bottom of the roster can turn over quickly. These four players appear to be in the most danger of losing their spots as the season moves along.
Kevin Jobity Jr. may be the most vulnerable name on the list. The Steelers kept seven interior defenders, and Jobity looks like he was one of the final additions to the group.
As the only rookie undrafted free agent to make the team, he already beat long odds just to get here. But being on the roster and staying on the roster are two different things, and he faces a steep climb to carve out a real role.
If he falls behind in a crowded defensive line room, he could be the first one pushed off the 53 and back toward the practice squad.
Gabriel Rubio is in a similar spot, even if he comes with a little more draft pedigree. The Steelers took Rubio in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, which gives him some cushion, but not much.
He showed some promise as a run defender in the preseason, and his motor is part of the appeal. Still, if Jobity outplays him early or Rubio doesn’t do enough when his number is called, Pittsburgh could decide to move on.
Ryan McCollum also looks exposed. He may have benefited from the Steelers trading Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys right before the roster deadline, because without that move he might have been stuck as the 10th offensive lineman - and carrying 10 never felt like a comfortable number.
Even now, McCollum’s value is narrow. He’s a reserve center only, with no guard flexibility, and that limitation matters when a team is weighing its depth options.
Brock Hoffman, who can play both center and guard, offers more versatility and may offer it at a higher level too. If the Steelers stay healthy up front and need room elsewhere, McCollum could be the odd man out.
Eli Heidenreich rounds out the group. The seventh-round rookie gave Steelers fans a reason to pull for the local product, but his spot is far from locked in for the long haul.
Early in the season, he’ll be counted on for a meaningful special teams role, and that could decide everything. If he struggles there, Pittsburgh could choose to elevate the more experienced Travis Homer and send Heidenreich to the practice squad.
His limited offensive work will matter too. If he doesn’t do enough with the touches he gets, the Steelers could decide they need a different option at the bottom of the running back rotation.
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