The Pittsburgh Steelers have made their first wave of roster cuts ahead of the 53-man deadline on Sunday, but there are plenty of players still on the bubble.
From a veteran defender in a strong linebacker room to a quarterback who just couldn't get it going this preseason, here's a look at three Steelers who may be released as part of the final roster cuts in 2026.
LB Cole Holcomb
Don't get it twisted, Holcomb is a tackling machine. But the recent emergence of special teams ace Carson Bruener, as well as the return of run-thumping veteran Elandon Roberts, leaves Holcomb as the odd man out in a stacked linebacker room.
RB Eli Heidenreich
Unfortunately, the fan-favorite Heidenreich may find himself as one of the many roster cuts made by the Steelers. Kaleb Johnson is the likely RB3,
and it doesn't help Heidenreich's case that Travis Homer offers more special teams versatility, while co-RB5 Lew Nichols has looked incredible this past month. There's always a chance the Steelers value Heidenreich's potential over the others' immediate contributions, but it appears a practice squad role is the most likely outcome.
QB Will Howard
Yes, you read that correctly. Howard didn't show enough at training camp and struggled in key moments during the past two preseason games, as evidenced by his two-touchdown-to-three-interception ratio. Drew Allar appears to have the future QB1 role locked up when Aaron Rodgers decides to call it a career, and Mason Rudolph is a more dependable backup quarterback than Howard.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 3 Steelers in danger of being cut before roster deadline
