The Steelers are making another round of cuts at the bottom of the roster, and two players are out after the team claimed a pair of players off waivers.
Tight end JJ Galbreath and wide receiver AT Perry have both been released, with new tight end Lance Mason and wide receiver Colton Dowell stepping into those 90-man roster spots. Pittsburgh is still shuffling things around ahead of its first preseason game next Thursday.
Galbreath, despite checking in at just 6-foot-3 and 231 pounds, showed off some eye-catching athletic numbers. He ran a 4.67 40-yard dash and posted strong explosion and agility results, including a 38-inch vertical, a 10-foot-3-inch broad jump, a 4.20 short shuttle and a 6.02 3-cone.
He was viewed more as a receiving tight end and spent the offseason trying to add weight so he could improve as an in-line blocker, but he never made much of a dent with the new coaching staff.
Perry arrived in Pittsburgh at the start of the offseason and flashed a bit, but his lack of special teams value worked against him. He has the size to make sense as a practice squad option, but the Steelers are moving on for now.
A sixth-round pick from Wake Forest in the 2023 NFL Draft, Perry began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints. Over two seasons there, he caught 12 passes for 246 yards and four touchdowns before moving on to the Denver Broncos.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Have Real Doubt About Will Howards Backup Push
Will Howard came into Steelers training camp with a real chance to make the backup quarterback job interesting behind Aaron Rodgers, but the early returns have left the picture murkier. The rookie has shown enough to stay in the conversation, yet the separation many expected has not really arrived, and the competition has started to tilt toward a more familiar face as Pittsburgh keeps sorting out the depth chart.
Mason Rudolph has quietly made himself look like the steadier option for QB2, which raises the pressure on Howard as the preseason schedule starts to matter more. His next chance to change the narrative comes against Green Bay, where the Steelers will be watching closely for cleaner work on the throws that have been giving him trouble and for signs that he can force the decision a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Camp Just Raised A Real Question About Their QB Depth
The offense at Saint Vincent College has shown some signs of settling in during recent camp work, which is at least a step in the right direction for a Steelers unit still trying to find more consistency. The line has had its own encouraging moment too, with Anderson continuing to build a case for the starting right guard job and keeping that competition alive as camp moves along.
The bigger concern, though, is what the quarterback room looks like behind the top options. A rookie has had trouble with decision-making and accuracy, and when those issues show up in camp they tend to sharpen the focus on depth and development in a hurry. Pittsburgh has time to sort through it, but these sessions have made it clear the backup picture is worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Just Put Kaleb Johnson Back In A Real Roster Fight
The Steelers first offseason depth chart offered an early glimpse at how the backfield is shaping up, and it put Kaleb Johnson in a spot that should at least keep him in the conversation. After a rough rookie season, Johnson is listed as the third running back, which suggests Pittsburgh is willing to let him compete rather than bury him behind the newer faces in camp. For a player trying to reset his trajectory, thats not nothing.
Training camp and the preseason will decide whether that listing means real trust or just temporary patience. Johnson has work to do, but the fact that hes ahead of some additions gives him a fighting chance to stick on the roster. In a room where every carry can matter, the next few weeks will tell whether Pittsburgh sees enough to keep investing in him. [Read more 🡒]