"Absolutely Not": Steelers Won't Be Keeping All 10 Draftees On Their Roster

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off the 2026 NFL Draft hosted by the city of Pittsburgh. The team came into the draft holding onto 12 draft picks, but through trades, wound up using 10 of them. The strategy clearly focused on bringing in offensive help, as seven of the 10 picks were used on offensive players. The influx of players to the roster can be a huge help, but many speculated throughout the 2026 offseason that Pittsburgh would not use as many as even 10 picks. The organization was not as aggressive as some expected, and might have a new problem on its hands. 

Steelers President Art Rooney II, General Manager Omar Khan, and the front office will have to figure out the next steps for shaping the roster. As like in any year, the team will start with up to 90 players before making cuts ahead of the season. Pittsburgh's later-round picks will find themselves navigating through potential roster spot battles throughout the process. The excess of draftees may lead to some facing the risk of being cut. 

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly expressed his pessimism for the franchise's entire 2026 draft class making the 53-man roster. He addressed this in his Steelers mailbag on X. 

"Absolutely not. Khan and the Steelers have held on to their picks since he became the GM (20 of 21 remain with the team, with a career-ending injury to Ryan Watts being the exception). But with this roster and 10 picks, I can’t see it, at least when it comes to the 53-man," Kaboly wrote. 

The trend of the Steelers keeping their picks could change this year. Pittsburgh had one choice in each round, besides having three selections in round three and two in round seven. Though all of those chosen in the earlier rounds will more than likely make the team, it's the later-round talent who will have a hard time making the team. Sixth-round pick Gabriel Rubio and seventh-round picks Eli Heidenreich and Robert Spears-Jennings will face even more of an uphill battle than traditional late-round players. 

The roster spots will be hard to come by, but these guys will have a hard time carving out a role at their positions. Heidenreich will come into a running back room that has been revamped in the offseason. He is an excellent receiver, too, but that room has been added to as well. He and Spears-Jennings will have to prove that they can be elite contributors on special teams before they can get a chance to showcase their other skills. Pittsburgh's willingness to address holes on the roster in early parts of the draft and in free agency will force these two to fight tooth and nail for a spot. 

As for the sixth-round pick Rubio, his rawness as a prospect could be his downfall. He struggled mightily with injury during his collegiate career. He did not receive an NFL Combine invite, and some considered him an undrafted free agent candidate. The organization needed a defensive lineman with a lot of size who could be a run-stopper. Rubio brings just that, but with his injury history and competition on the line, it will be hard for him to fit in. All of these players, based on past trends, would've had a seemingly guaranteed shot at the team, but with Khan's 2026 overhaul, it appears difficult. 

The Steelers Could've Used These Picks In Draft Day Trades

Pittsburgh's lack of aggressiveness during the draft could come back to bite them. The surplus of draft picks could've been used on high-quality prospects, rather than on 10 players, with some who might not even make the team. The quest for high-quality talent instead of potential practice squad players was one the front office decided not to pursue. Hopefully, the late-round draft picks can make a splash during offseason activities, so late-round picks will not be wasted, when they could have been used in trades. 

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