The Steelers are heading into Week 1 with their 53-man roster set, but that doesn’t mean the roster is locked in stone. Pittsburgh may not be eager to add right now, yet there are still free agents sitting out there who could become real options if trouble pops up early in the season.
The biggest pressure points are easy to spot: the offensive line, linebacker, and the specialist spots. If those areas start to wobble, the Steelers could be forced into changes faster than they’d like. And among the available names, a few stand out as players who could push the team to rethink things in a hurry.
James Daniels is the first name that makes sense. Pittsburgh already knows him well from his time with the Steelers from 2022 to 2024, and that familiarity matters if the interior line turns into a problem.
Spencer Anderson is currently the starting right guard, but Daniels would be the kind of veteran who could step in and take that job if the team decides it needs a change. The big question, as always, is health.
At linebacker, Elandon Roberts is the sort of cut that could come back to haunt them. The Steelers left him off the final roster, but he was their most impactful player during his short return to Pittsburgh.
He brings an edge to the defense, and that’s something this team could use. He should still be on their radar if he doesn’t land somewhere else first, because this is exactly the kind of move that can look worse as the season goes on.
There’s also a potential line fix if things get ugly early. If Dylan Cook doesn’t prove he can hold down the right tackle spot and Troy Fautanu continues to struggle on the left side, Pittsburgh could be looking for help fast.
In that scenario, moving Fautanu back to right tackle and signing Taylor Decker would give the Steelers a veteran with plenty of starting experience who could step in right away. It wouldn’t be the cleanest solution, but it would be a quick one.
Then there’s Johnny Hekker, a name that matters more if the punting game starts to go sideways. Cameron Johnston looked solid in the preseason, but he has to carry that into the regular season. Pittsburgh has dealt with shaky punting in recent years, and Hekker would be the kind of proven leg who could steady things if Johnston slips.
In Other News...
Steelers Cut Just Drew Immediate Interest From Another Team
D'Shawn Jamison did not stay on the market long after the Steelers moved on from him during final roster cuts. The cornerback, who has also spent time with the Panthers and 49ers, drew a workout from the Arizona Cardinals and quickly landed a practice-squad spot as teams continue sorting out depth in the secondary.
Arizonas interest makes sense with Will Johnson sidelined by a lower-body injury and five cornerbacks already on the active roster. For Pittsburgh, Jamisons quick landing is another reminder of how fluid the back end of the roster can be once cutdown day passes and teams start looking for experienced cover help. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Quietly Added An Intriguing Edge Rusher To Watch
The Steelers quietly added three players to the practice squad, and one of the more interesting names is Bradyn Swinson, a young edge rusher with some real developmental appeal. Pittsburgh also brought in defensive back Car'Lin Vigers and wide receiver Brandon Johnson, but Swinson stands out because of where he was drafted and the kind of role the Steelers believe he can grow into.
A 2025 fifth-round pick by the Patriots, Swinson spent most of his rookie year on New Englands practice squad and got into three games. For a Steelers team that has long valued pass-rush depth and coaching up athletic defenders, he is the kind of low-risk addition worth monitoring as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Tomlin Finally Revealed What Really Pushed Steelers To Trade Pickens
The Steelers did not move on from George Pickens just because they had a chance to reshuffle the wide receiver room. Mike Tomlin laid out the thinking behind the decision, saying Pittsburgh no longer saw Pickens as a fit for its long-term plans, especially when it came to the leadership expectations that come with a second contract. In that same explanation, Tomlin pointed to DK Metcalf as the kind of player the organization felt more comfortable building around after giving him a major extension.
Pickens time in Pittsburgh had plenty of talent but also enough friction to make the choice easier to understand in hindsight. The fines and on-field incidents that followed him through his Steelers tenure were part of the backdrop, and Tomlins comments made clear those issues mattered when the team weighed what it wanted next at the position. The larger question now is how far Pittsburgh was willing to go to draw that line, and what it says about the standard the front office wants to keep enforcing. [Read more 🡒]