Pittsburgh

Steelers

This was always though to be the case, with the team’s decision to keep only six receivers through cuts Sunday seemingly backing that notion up. Pryor adds that the teams is expected to “ease in” both Metcalf and Pittman, but it certainly sounds as if each receiver will be on the field in less than two weeks for Week 1.

Homer was fighting for an end-of-bench spot in the Steelers’ running back room. His release indicates they will keep Eli Heidenreich on the initial 53-man roster. Also waived/released by the Steelers were DL Kyler Baugh, DB Devan Boykin, DB Sebastian Castro, DL Anthony Goodlow, WR Max Hurleman, DB D’Shawn Jamison, OL Steven Jones, TE Lance Mason, TE Lake McRee, OL Doug Nester, RB Lew Nichols, DB Doneiko Slaughter, WR Brandon Smith, LB Julius Welschof, LB Jacoby Windmon, LB Malik Harrison, DL Esezi Otomewo, and LB Elandon Roberts.

Porter Jr. spent all of training camp on the PUP list with a back issue. He was also searching for a new contract without much luck, so it’s safe to assume the back and bank issues were related. Without much leverage in the situation, he is likely stuck playing out the 2026 season on his rookie deal.

The Steelers will head into the regular season with Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar, who shined in training camp and during preseason outings in Mike McCarthy’s offense. If the 2026 season goes south for Pittsburgh, look for McCarthy to see what he has in Allar and perhaps Howard. Rudolph will likely back up Rodgers to start the regular season.

Johnson had a star-crossed first season with the Steelers, losing most of his responsibilities after a key special teams error in Week 2. He was an interesting draft prospect and the Packers running back room has a lot of uncertainty to it with MarShawn Lloyd’s health seemingly always questionable and Josh Jacobs facing a potential suspension. Johnson is worth a speculative pick-up in deeper leagues.

The move frees up $4.75 million in cap space. Harrison was an evidently unsuccessful 2025 free agent poach from arch-rival Baltimore. He made 11 2025 appearances, including nine starts, but registered zero sacks. Now 28 years old, Harrison’s experience could nevertheless earn him some looks on the workout circuit.

Lowry appeared in a dozen games for the Steelers in 2024. He was a backup on Pittsburgh’s stacked defensive line and only recorded one sack. Lowry suffered a torn ACL and missed the 2025 season but still re-signed with Pittsburgh this offseason. At 32 years old coming off a torn ACL, Lowry may struggle to find a spot on a 53-man roster before Week 1.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. A former starting linebacker with the Raiders, Roberts joined the Steelers earlier this month as linebacker depth. Without an injury, there ultimately wasn’t room for him on the 53-man roster. Roberts started 16 games for the Raiders last year and had 90 total tackles. He’ll hit the open market where he could get a call from a linebacker-needy team.

The only QB who truly felt like he was on the roster bubble this offseason was Will Howard. The former sixth-round pick immediately found himself in competition for a roster spot after the Steelers used the No. 76 pick in this year’s draft to select Penn State’s Drew Allar, but it would appear that Howard’s spot on the roster is safe for now. Speaking after the team’s preseason finale against the Bills, McCarthy said that he feels good about the team’s quarterback room and suggested that we can expect both players, along with Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph, to all be on the roster after cutdown day. Howard threw for 229 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions this preseason, while Allar threw for 351-2-0 but completed just 55.6 percent of his passes. We wouldn’t expect either QB to see the field in the regular season.

Bernard started alongside other Steelers backups this evening, indicating he has not yet earned a starting role in three-wide receiver sets. That said, he looked good. Bernard found the end zone via a screen pass on the Steelers’ second drive, shaking a defender immediately after the catch before muscling past another as he crossed the plane. He nearly scored again on the following drive, but QB Will Howard overthrew him in the end zone. The Steelers’ top-two WRs, DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman, are just getting over injuries, and No. 3 WR Roman Wilson should not be considered insurmountable in-house competition. Bernard could work his way into the lineup early in the year.