Steelers waive/release 15 players including EDGE Quincy Roche, claimed by Giants
The Pittsburgh Steelers recently announced their 53-man roster. I know firsthand how daily transactions can be confusing. Don’t worry, I have you covered. Below is a breakdown in the simplest form on my full BEASTwriter report of the Steelers 53.
2020 starters: waived, released, traded, or retired + UFAs who left in free agency
Released: OG David DeCastro, CB Steven Nelson, P Jordan Berry, LS Kameron Canady
Retired: OC Maurkice Pouncey, ILB Vince Williams
UFAs: LT Alejandro Villanueva (Ravens), OG Matt Feiler (Chargers), OLB Bud Dupree (Titans), NB Mike Hilton (Bengals)
*I had DeCastro (7.3) and Dupree (7.9) both graded as 1st-team All-Pro talents last year in the respective games they played. DeCastro was dealing with an abdomen injury (suffered in the first quarter of Week 5 and carried over into Week 6), while Dupree suffered a torn ACL vs Ravens (Week 12).
*The OL will definitely be the team’s Achilles heel. They lost four of their five starters from the previous season. I have huge expectations for both second-year phenoms OG Kevin Dotson and OLB Alex Highsmith but as far as OL, it’s not looking great.
Rookie Dan Moore Jr. will tackle the blindside replacing Villanueva while RG Trai Turner replaces All-Pro OG David DeCastro. But still, more reinforcements are needed. The team drafted OC Kendrick Green but he’s struggled throughout camp. Hopefully, someone steps up.
Steelers made the following transactions to arrive at the 53-man roster limit:
Players released: RB Trey Edmunds, RB Jaylen Samuels, TE Kevin Rader, OG Rashaad Coward, OG/OC B.J. Finney, OLB Cassius Marsh, DB Arthur Maulet
Waived: WR Rico Bussey, WR Cody White, OT Chaz Green, OT/OG John Leglue, OLB Quincy Roche (claimed by Giants), OLB Jamar Watson, CB Mark Gilbert, S Donovan Stiner
Injured Reserve (IR):
QB Joshua Dobbs
DE Stephon Tuitt (mental health/overweight/knee injury)
OT Zach Banner (ACL)
RB Anthony McFarland Jr. (undisclosed)
Re-signed to the active 53-man roster: OG Rashaad Coward, OC/OG B.J. Finney, CB Arthur Maulet
Note: Those 3 roster spots became available once Tuitt, Banner, and McFarland were sent to IR.
Practice squad announced
16 player limit with one International player exemption
Players re-signed after being "released" by the team: RB Trey Edmunds, RB Jaylen Samuels, TE Kevin Radar
Claimed off waiver wire: None
Players signed after being "waived" by team: WR Rico Bussey, WR Cody White, OT Chaz Green, OT/OG John Leglue, CB Mark Gilbert, S Donovan Stiner
Players signed: WR Steven Sims, OG Malcolm Pridgeon, DE Daniel Archibong, OLB Derrek Tuszka, LB Christian Miller, SS Karl Joseph
Official 53-man roster
QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins
RB/FB: Najee Harris, Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland Jr., Kalen Ballage, Derek Watt
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, James Washington, Ray-Ray McCloud
TE: Eric Ebron, Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry
OT: Chukuma Okorafor, Zach Banner, Dan Moore Jr., Joe Haeg
IOL: Kendrick Green, Kevin Dotson, Trai Turner, J.C. Hassenauer
IDL: Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu, Chris Wormley, Isaiah Buggs, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Carl Davis
ILB: Devin Bush, Joe Schobert, Robert Spillane, Ulysees Gilbert III, Buddy Johnson, Marcus Allen
OLB: T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Melvin Ingram III, Jamir Jones
CB: Joe Haden, Cam Sutton, James Pierre, Justin Layne, Ahkello Witherspoon
FS/SS: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Tre Norwood, Miles Killebrew
Specialists: P Pressley Harvin III, K Chris Boswell, LS Christian Kuntz