It took a trade, a few surprise cuts, and an eyebrow-raising decision, but Omar Khan successfully chipped down the Steelers' roster to 53 players prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. league-wide deadline.
The Steelers' 53-man roster reads as follows:
• Quarterback: Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky
• Running back: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Anthony McFarland
• Fullback: Connor Heyward
• Wide receiver: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Gunner Olszewski, Calvin Austin, Miles Boykin
• Tight end: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington
• Offensive line: Dan Moore, Isaac Seumalo, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chukwuma Okorafor, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook, Nate Herbig, Broderick Jones
• Defensive line: Montravius Adams, Keeanu Benton, Cam Heyward, DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Larry Ogunjobi, Armon Watts
• Linebacker: Kwon Alexander, Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Markus Golden
• Defensive back: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Miles Killebrew, Keanu Neal, Patrick Peterson, James Pierre, Joey Porter Jr., Elijah Riley, Chandon Sullivan, Levi Wallace
• Specialists: LS Christian Kuntz, PK Chris Boswell, P Pressley Harvin, P Braden Mann
Our initial 53-man roster ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/bZSY1Oc9Ah
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 29, 2023
In addition, the Steelers finalized a trade of offensive lineman Kendrick Green to the Texans in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, ending the 2021 third-round pick's tenure that was capped in training camp by a brief stint at fullback and a tryout at three positions along the offensive line.
Instead of Green, the Steelers will go with the rookie Anderson as the end-of-bench offensive line option. Anderson was selected in the seventh round by the Steelers in this past draft and has been lauded for his versatility of playing all five positions on the line, which he displayed more frequently as training camp progressed. Meanwhile, Cook authors another chapter in his football story after going undrafted last year out of Montana and spending the season on the Buccaneers' practice squad. He began his college career at NAIA program Montana State-Northern as a quarterback before transferring to the Football Championship Subdivision program Montana.
In a bit of a surprise, the Steelers chose to release Zach Gentry after he spent four seasons with the team and re-signed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract in April. Gentry was thought to have a role as an in-line tight end opposite Washington, with Freiermuth showing the ability to be effective as a slot receiver last season, but the Steelers decided to shed a role player at a deep position after Washington exploded onto the scene at training camp.
Gentry leads the list of surprise cuts, which also include nose tackle Breiden Fehoko and safety Tre Norwood. Fehoko has a reputation as a run stopper and was thought to provide a different complexion to the Steelers' interior with Adams and Benton leading the charge. Watts appears to have fulfilled that spot over him. Norwood, a 2021 seventh-round pick, had provided depth at safety but has been beat out by Riley -- a formerly undrafted player out of Army -- for the final spot in the defensive backs' room.
The Steelers are, notably, carrying two punters on the initial 53-man roster in an eyebrow-raising move. One of the two will likely be cut once the Steelers peruse the waiver wire for added depth at other spots, or one of the two could be traded as other teams in the league look for a punter. Harvin looked like the stronger punter in training camp, so Mann would be the likely one out.
The Steelers announced a batch of cuts to finish its roster trimming to 53 just after the 4 p.m. deadline. Included in that batch were tight end Rodney Williams, safety Trenton Thompson, and undrafted rookie pass rusher David Perales, among Gentry, Fehoko, Norwood, and others.
