As training camp rapidly approaches, three players from the Pittsburgh Steelers received some bad news in the form of an ESPN 53-man roster projection.
According to ESPN's Mike Clay, three notable Steelers were cut in a 53-man roster projection: quarterback Mason Rudolph, running back Kaleb Johnson, and running back Eli Heidenreich.
Notable QB/RB/WR/TE cuts in our NFL Nation team’s projected 53-man rosters:
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) July 24, 2026
Kaleb Johnson/Mason Rudolph/Eli Heidenreich (PIT)
Cedric Tillman/Dillon Gabriel (CLE)
J. Smith-Schuster/Jalin Hyatt/Devin Singletary (NYG)
Kendre Miller/Mason Tipton (NO)
Elijah Moore (PHI)
Emmanuel…
Rudolph, who's heading into Year 9 in 2026, is expected to compete with Will Howard for the backup quarterback job. But the odds slightly favor
Howard to walk out of training camp as QB2.
Johnson and Heidenreich are actually the more surprising roster cuts, as the two running backs were projected to compete against one another for a roster spot over the next several months. We at Steelers Wire gave the edge to Heidenreich thanks to his special teams and offensive versatility, but ESPN's 53-man roster projection believes neither running back will survive the initial cuts.
Fans definitely need to keep a close eye on these three Steelers when training camp practices kick off on July 29, as their performances over the next several months could very well decide their future within the Steel City.
For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 3 Steelers get bad news before training camp
