The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially completed their 2025 preseason, and that means it's time to focus on one of the harshest parts of the year: roster cutdown. The roster will go from 91 men to 53 men, with many players losing their jobs. Up to 16 players can be signed to the practice squad however, provided they clear waivers if required. Pittsburgh only has a handful of days left to make these final decisions and figure out who will be active in Week 1.
Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mark Robinson warms up prior to the team's Week 15 loss in Indianapolis in 2023.
However, the Steelers may have some better options than just cutting pieces: trades. There are a few positions where there are more NFL-ready players than spots available for them. Pittsburgh might be able to ship off a few of them and get some sort of return back. They are in the pick business, so as we speak, they may be on the phones shopping some players around and seeing what kind of return they can get already.
The first position that the Steelers could be looking to trade away is punter
Cameron Johnston and Corliss Waitman both had great training camps and preseasons, but the edge seems to go to Johnston. Despite that, Waitman is still a lot better than many teams' starting punters. Even if Pittsburgh can't get much back for him, it's still better than releasing him and letting someone take him for free.
The most likely scenario is that Waitman would get traded for a sixth or seventh-round pick. While the Steelers would love to release him and bring him back if something unfortunately happens to Johnston, that is just not a likely option, as many teams would be scrambling to pick him up once he is available. Getting a little bit of value for a punter trade is a win for the Steelers.
Steelers could go from having one of the least valued positions in the league to the most
Quarterback seems like an intriguing trade piece as well, as Skylar Thompson had a great performance in the preseason. He has played in 10 regular season games and even started a postseason game, where his Miami Dolphins kept pace with the two-seed Buffalo Bills. He could be a good acquisition for a team that does not feel comfortable about the depth of its quarterback room.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Skylar Thompson looks to pass during the first week of preseason in 2025 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Thompson would likely get dealt away for another Day 3 pick if Pittsburgh can find a trade partner before Tuesday's deadline. He provides a solid mix of experience and a little bit of untapped potential that can come out in the right system. He could be a quality QB2 option for many teams, even though he's arguably the QB4 for the Steelers. At the very least, Thompson likely managed to play himself onto somebody's roster for the 2025 season.
Steelers' 2024 Starter Could Be Dealt Away
While undrafted free agents usually don't turn out to be much, Beanie Bishop Jr. was forced to be a Day 1 starter at slot corner due to injuries and a suspension to a teammate in 2024, and he performed very admirably. He was second on the team in interceptions, as he racked up four of them in his rookie season in total. He seemed like a key contributor for at least the short-term future. Instead, Pittsburgh turned him into a bubble player rather quickly with the addition of some veterans.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. stands on the field as the unit practices during 2024 rookie minicamp at the team's indoor facility in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers signed Brandin Echols and traded for Jalen Ramsey, both of whom could see plenty of reps at slot corner. There is not much of a need for a third-string slot corner on the 53-man roster. In fact, he could be moved so an outside cornerback like Cory Trice Jr. could stick around. Him receiving zero snaps in the final preseason game only strengthens this theory.
Bishop would likely fetch the largest return out of anyone on this list, as he has proven to be a starting-caliber player. Slot corners may not be valued as much as outside ones, but in the era where offense is king, having a quality player that can play coverage, tackle well, and even blitz when needed can be a massive asset to any team. He was an absolute home run of an undrafted signing, and now he could be on the move in exchange for some picks.
What do you think about the list of players that could be traded away before Tuesday? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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