The Steelers have their first 53-man roster in place, but that group is hardly finished. As roster cuts shake loose veterans around the league, Pittsburgh has a chance to patch a few obvious holes with players who suddenly hit the market.
One of the clearest needs sits at offensive tackle. The Steelers are carrying only three tackles on the active roster, and while Jack Driscoll could return in four weeks from Injured Reserve, the team likely wants something sturdier behind Max Iheanachor, Dylan Cook and Troy Fautanu.
Evan Neal is the high-upside gamble. His career has not gone the way anyone expected after he was taken seventh overall in 2022, and he was cut just before the final season of his rookie deal. Still, he has 27 starts, and that kind of experience could make him a workable second backup if Pittsburgh wants to take a shot.
If the Steelers prefer a steadier answer, Trent Scott makes plenty of sense. He has been with the organization before, and his track record as a dependable swing tackle stretches across eight years in the league. At 32, he would give Pittsburgh the fourth tackle it needs without much drama attached.
Linebacker is another spot worth watching after the Steelers’ most surprising cutdown move: Elandon Roberts was let go. Cole Holcomb and Carson Bruener are now behind Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen, but Pittsburgh could still look for more depth there.
That is where Willie Gay Jr. comes in. He started 16 games last season and piled up 129 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. At 28, he could draw plenty of interest, and there’s a real sense he may only be getting started as an NFL starter.
The secondary also deserves attention after DeShon Elliott was placed on Injured Reserve. Two names stand out at safety, and both would help in different ways.
Ashtyn Davis brings size and range. He can work as a center-field safety and has nine career interceptions, plus 12 starts last season for the Dolphins. If Robert Spears-Jennings is not ready to handle the deep half of the field, Pittsburgh could use another veteran with that kind of profile until Elliott returns.
Then there is Geno Stone, the cleanest fit of the bunch. He is a Pittsburgh native, a familiar AFC North presence and a true free safety with 14 interceptions to his name.
He is also only 27. The concern is obvious: he missed 23 tackles last season.
Even so, if he tightens that up, he still looks like the kind of player who belongs on the field.
Stone would also give Pittsburgh a player who has started for a long time and could slide into a third AFC North stop. For the Steelers, that kind of match can be hard to ignore.
In Other News...
Steelers Secondary Suddenly Has A Problem Before Week 1
The Steelers secondary took a hit just days before Week 1, with DeShon Elliott landing on injured reserve and set to miss at least the first four games. Elliott had battled back from a significant leg injury last season and was back on the practice field during training camp, but his latest setback leaves Pittsburgh without one of the key pieces it hoped would stabilize the back end early in the year.
Now the burden shifts to a reshuffled group that has to hold up immediately, with Jaquan Brisker, Jalen Ramsey, Robert Spears-Jennings and Rayshawn Jenkins among the names expected to absorb the snaps. For a defense built around keeping pressure on opposing passing games, losing that kind of experience this soon creates an early test the Steelers were trying to avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Secondary Suddenly Has A Problem Early This Season
The Steelers secondary took an early hit before the 2026 season even got going, with starting safety DeShon Elliott landing on injured reserve with a designation to return. The move means Elliott must sit out the first four games while he works back from knee and hamstring injuries, another reminder that a defense built on stability can get tested quickly when one of its safeties is suddenly unavailable.
Mike McCarthy said Elliott has made progress, but the soreness he felt after a preseason game was enough to push the team toward caution. Pittsburgh now has three other safeties on the roster to lean on in the meantime, and Elliott is not expected to be eligible to return until Oct. 11 against the Indianapolis Colts, giving the Steelers at least a short-term depth problem to sort out on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Final Running Back Decision Just Got A Lot Tougher
The Steelers had some late backfield sorting to do before the NFL deadline, and one of the more notable decisions came at running back. Lew Nichols had put together a strong preseason, yet Pittsburgh still moved on from him as part of the final 53-man roster cuts, a reminder that camp production does not always translate into a spot once the numbers get tight. The team also dealt Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers before the cutdown, further reshaping the room.
Eli Heidenreich emerged as the rookie who stayed, earning the third running back job and giving Pittsburgh a younger piece to carry into the season. Even after the roster is official, the position still feels unsettled in a way the Steelers will have to manage, especially after a summer in which Nichols looked like he had forced his way into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]