It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:
- Ravens officially finalize 53-man roster for 2025 season (Baltimore Beatdown)
- Cleveland Browns roster cuts: Team announces initial 53-man roster (Dawgs by Nature)
- Cincinnati Bengals announce 53-man roster (Cincy Jungle)
Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:
NFC team inquired about trade for Steelers punter
(From Steelers Now’s Chris Ward): On the heels of the Pittsburgh Steelers releasing veteran punter Cameron Johnston, Adam Schefter of ESPN confirmed that Corliss Waitman has won the punter job. He also noted that the New Orleans Saints inquired about trading for him before the Steelers made the final decision to stick with
him.
The Steelers seemed to have interest in trading their extra specialists ahead of the cutdown deadline, but it appears it was Waitman, not Cameron Johnston, who was drawing trade interest. If anything, the team’s refusal to trade the punter shows that they are very confident in their decision regarding the winner of the summer’s position battle.
Aaron Rodgers on facing Jets in Steelers’ 2025 season opener: ‘It’s one game out of 17’
(From NFL.com’s Kevin Patra): Rodgers joined Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio on Monday and was asked how he’ll feel facing New York off the bat.
“Probably nowhere near where it might be made out,” Rodgers said. “A lot has changed over there, coaching staff-wise, player-wise. Obviously, I have friendships over there, but it’s one game out of 17, and at 5 o’clock Eastern on that Sunday, it’s only going to be on to the next game. So that’s just the way it is.”
It’s a storyline-heavy Week 1 for the Steelers and Jets with both Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields taking on their former teams. Rodgers, for his part, seems to be downplaying any sort of revenge game narrative. He’s taken a similar approach when discussing the Steelers’ late October matchup with his other former team, the Green Bay Packers.
Report: Steelers to place rookie QB Will Howard on IR
(From Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams): The Steelers will place quarterback Will Howard on injured reserve with a designation to return, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
After surprisingly keeping four quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster, it makes sense that the Steelers will make a follow-up move shortly. Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, the team plans to keep Skylar Thompson around, at least to start the season, by moving Will Howard to designated-to-return injured reserve.
Veteran Scotty Miller eying a career resurgence for the receiver-needy Steelers
(From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo): Since then, Miller has had a hard time recreating that season from five years ago. In the past four seasons combined — with the Buccaneers, Falcons and Steelers — he has just 453 receiving yards and has had to grind to stay in the NFL. Last year, he was among the Steelers’ final cuts before they re-signed him a few days later at a league minimum contract.
“It’s tough to find opportunities in this league,” Miller said. “Sometimes the statistics aren’t there in certain years. That’s just how it goes. I can’t control how many opportunities I get during the season. All I can control is going out there every day and showing what I can do and then take advantage of whatever comes my way.”
Miller enjoyed a productive 2025 preseason and secured a spot for himself on the Steelers’ initial 53-man roster entering the regular season. However, he still hasn’t broken the 200-yard mark since his 501-yard breakout season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
What are your expectations for Scotty Miller in 2025?
Miller looks poised to be the Steelers’ WR4 in 2025, behind D.K. Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, and Roman Wilson. It’s hard to imagine him returning to his 2020 levels of production unless there is a long term injury ahead of him on the depth chart.
However, it seems reasonable to expect Miller to blow past his 2024 stat line of five catches for 69 yards.
For one, he’s a player who has earned the praise of quarterback Aaron Rodgers over the offseason. A veteran player with game-breaking speed, Miller should find ways to rotate into the first-team offense at times, especially with two younger players ahead of him on the depth chart in Austin and Wilson.
The other point also has to do with Rodgers: The Jets passed the ball 108 more times than the Steelers did last season, with Rodgers favoring spread-out, receiver-heavy formations in a quick passing game offense.
Despite being in Arthur Smith’s run-first scheme in 2025, Rodgers should still pass more often than Russell Wilson did last season, opening up more opportunities to rotational pass-catchers. In 2024, the Jets had five different players with 400 receiving yards or more; the Steelers had just three.
Miller won’t just be competing with other receivers for targets — Pittsburgh’s running backs and talented tight end duo will also factor heavily into the passing game — but the veteran should see an uptick in yardage with Rodgers at quarterback this season.
What are your thoughts on Scotty Miller’s role on the Steelers entering 2025? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
