My latest Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 53-man roster prediction. This is my updated version after conducting one shortly after the NFL Draft. The roster has undergone plenty of tweaks and changes since then.
Camp and the preseason will offer plenty of information that will begin to solidify this prediction. Injuries will have an impact, too. For now, these are my best guesses of what the roster will look like just ahead of the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
As always, this roster only considers players currently on the team and not external additions who may filter in over the next six weeks.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Offense – 24
Quarterbacks (3) – Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard, Drew Allar
Analysis: I’ve indulged the thought of the Steelers keeping four quarterbacks and still won’t rule out the possibility. But I’m not ready to make that prediction. Howard needs a strong training camp showing clear growth, progression and effective in-stadium action. If he falters, the conversation gets interesting.
Having two young quarterbacks behind Aaron Rodgers is unusual, but Mike McCarthy’s rosters have been constructed similarly before. As just one example in 2008, Rodgers’ backups were rookies Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn, a trio that entered the year with just 59 total pass attempts.
Allar should make the team safely, but this is a redshirt year as he relearns his mechanics. He shouldn’t be in any position to play, and that is perhaps the strongest reason to carry a fourth quarterback in the veteran Mason Rudolph.
Running Backs (4) – Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren, Eli Heidenreich, Riley Nowakowski (FB)
Analysis: Making a change from my post-draft thoughts, including Heidenreich over Kaleb Johnson. Not because you’ll yell at me if I leave Heidenreich off, but the more I pondered it, the more it made sense. Johnson was drafted by a different coaching staff for a different scheme: a tight-end-heavy, outside zone structure.
Just as critically, Johnson has real questions about his value beyond carrying the football. Can he catch, block and play on special teams? Even without taking a snap, Heidenreich has a leg up on Johnson in all three of those areas. Mike McCarthy made clear that backups can’t sit on the sidelines without a role, and Heidenreich may have more value than Johnson. Trading Johnson away in a late Day 3 pick swap makes a lot of sense.
Nowakowski will float between tight end and fullback.
Wide Receivers (6) – DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Germie Bernard, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Kaden Wetjen
Analysis: The group is mostly as expected. Bernard and Wilson will jockey for the initial No. 3 role. Skowronek is an ace special-teams player and Wetjen must prove his chops in the return game. There will be intense competition at the bottom of the roster to try and steal a spot. A.T. Perry might make some plays this summer, but a lack of special value hampers him.
This group is unquestionably better than last year, but it still has much to prove. Beating man coverage and creating more explosive plays are two critical goals.
Tight Ends (3) – Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan
Analysis: Tonyan is a veteran who knows the offense and Rodgers. Pittsburgh could have Nowakowski serve as the de facto No. 3 tight end, and the fact that he’s in Robert Kugler’s room often lends credibility to the idea. Still, the team doesn’t want to be short-handed on gameday if an injury limits personnel, and Tonyan’s experience is a bonus. He makes the squad.
Offensive Tackles (3) – Troy Fautanu, Max Iheanachor, Dylan Cook
Analysis: Two big questions here. Who will start at right tackle, Iheanachor or Cook, and what is Broderick Jones’ status? I’ll work under the assumption Cook starts at right tackle and Jones begins the year on injured reserve.
Pittsburgh will determine if he lands on Active/PUP when the team reports to camp. If so, that opens the door for him to transition to Reserve/PUP to begin the year. My guess is Jones avoids both PUP lists. He was working in individual drills during OTAs, and it doesn’t make sense for him to go backward, but he hasn’t been cleared for full contact.
Until we know that’s the case, I assume he’ll work on the side this summer and open the year on injured reserve. That will knock him out of at least the first month.
Interior Offensive Line (5) – Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker
Analysis: No surprises here. Right guard is an open battle with Anderson in pole position. Hoffman is his primary competition. Dunker is shaping up to be inactive to begin the year, but his summer play and injuries will dictate that.
Pittsburgh only keeps eight offensive linemen, but McCarthy has a history of being “light” up front. There’s enough versatility here to make it work.
Defense – 26
Defensive Ends (5) – Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Esezi Otomewo, Kevin Jobity Jr.
Analysis: There are five locks along the defensive line. Behind that will be one heck of a battle. Keeping seven in total, I have Otomewo and Jobity grabbing two final spots.
Otomewo lacks ideal size and run defense, but the Steelers have plenty of that on the roster. He offers a second-wave pass rush and athleticism his competitors don’t. Jobity was a solid UDFA add and a little more juiced up than draft pick Gabriel Rubio, who begins on the practice squad. These battles will go down to the wire and remain fluid.
Nose Tackles (2) – Keeanu Benton, Yahya Black
Analysis: Benton and Black will make the team. The question will be whether Benton plays more end and whether Black sees more first-team nose tackle reps. The summer will begin painting that picture.
Edge Rushers (4) – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer
Analysis: One of the few groups written in pen. Barring injury, these will be the four making up one of Pittsburgh’s strongest spots. Staying healthy, however, has been a challenge. Pittsburgh will also find ways to get Watt, Highsmith and Herbig on the field at the same time, while Sawyer looks to make a sophomore leap.
Inside Linebackers (5) – Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison, Cole Holcomb, Carson Bruener
Analysis: Pittsburgh did little to change the shape of this group, making it reasonable to think they intend to run the 2025 group back for 2026. Harrison could be a cap casualty, but I don’t see enough forces squeezing him off the roster.
Pittsburgh needs linebackers who play extensive special-teams snaps, especially given that Herbig won’t see much action there after playing triple-digit snaps each of his first three seasons.
Cornerbacks (6) – Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Brandin Echols, Asante Samuel Jr., Daylen Everette, D’Shawn Jamison
Analysis: There’s good depth here, and Pittsburgh should maintain it rather than trade away assets. Jamison makes it as the sixth corner. His speed and special teams ability are a plus. He’s No. 53 on this roster. Can Everette earn a gameday helmet over Samuel, and where does Echols fit into the secondary? Two things I’ll be watching for this summer.
Safeties (4) – Jalen Ramsey, Jaquan Brisker, DeShon Elliott, Sebastian Castro
Analysis: The same group of four as my initial prediction. Castro beats out rookie seventh-rounder Robert Spears-Jennings. It’ll be a tight race, but Castro could snag the upback/personal protector spot on the punt team and cement his spot.
Darnell Savage is the veteran, but his lack of special-teams value hurts him when he’s clearly battling for backup duties.
Special Teams – 3
Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell
Analysis: Not much debate here. Boswell should end the season holding major Steelers’ records in field goals and scoring.
Punter (1) – Cameron Johnston
Analysis: As of this writing, he’s only punter on the roster. Johnston has been the only guy for all but one week of the offseason, signaling the team has plenty of confidence in his ability.
Long Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz
Analysis: Kuntz is the only snapper on the roster and is poised to return. Pittsburgh wants to maintain consistent operations for Boswell, Johnston and Kuntz.
Practice Squad – 17
QB – None
RB – Travis Homer, Lew Nichols
TE – Lake McRee, Jaheim Bell
WR – Max Hurleman, A.T. Perry
OL – Steven Jones, Ryan McCollum, Greg Crippen
DL – Gabriel Rubio, Kyler Baugh
EDGE – Julius Welschof*
ILB – Jacoby Windmon
CB – Daryl Porter Jr., Devan Boykin
S – Robert Spears-Jennings, Jack Henderson
*International exemption
Just taking some educated guesses here for a wide-open field. Homer has experience and can play on special teams, while Nichols flashed last summer. McRee is athletic, while Bell is a versatile H-back type. Hurleman stood out early last year, while Perry could flash with his athleticism and experience.
Jones is big and physical with guard/tackle versatility. McCollum can spot start in a pinch, and Crippen might become James Campen’s personal project. Baugh plays with good energy while Rubio lands here. Windmon had a good camp in his first Pittsburgh stint and has some Sunday experience.
Porter made an immediate impression last year, while Boykin was coached up well at Indiana. Spears-Jennings joins Rubio on the practice squad while Henderson is one of my super sleepers.