The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting dangerously close to the NFL's 53-man roster deadline, and several recognizable names could be running out of time in Pittsburgh.
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Broderick Jones stretches during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) for the Steelers in May 2026.
Roster cutdowns always produce difficult decisions, but this year could be especially painful for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has multiple players who once carried legitimate expectations inside the organization now sitting in uncomfortable positions entering the final days of August.
NFL.com Senior News Writer Kevin Patra recently identified notable players across the league who could be released or traded before rosters are finalized. Three Steelers made his list: linebacker Malik Harrison, running back Kaleb Johnson and offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
"The recent signing of Elandon Roberts all but signaled the end of Harrison’s forgettable run in Pittsburgh," Patra wrote.
Harrison already finds himself in a crowded situation at inside linebacker, and bringing Elandon Roberts back into the building makes his path to meaningful snaps even more difficult. Johnson's situation might be even more concerning considering Pittsburgh selected him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
"Johnson has been buried on the depth chart, and his preseason usage suggests he isn’t long for the roster," Patra wrote. "The 2025 third-rounder is averaging 3.5 yards per carry on 12 totes this preseason. His lack of versatility hurts his chances of sticking around."
Then there is Jones, whose name easily carries the most weight of the three. Pittsburgh traded up in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft to land Jones with expectations that he could eventually become a cornerstone offensive tackle. His 2025 season ended because of a neck injury that required spinal fusion surgery, but he was cleared ahead of training camp. His preseason has done little to quiet concerns.
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Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones walks on the field as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Patra noted that Jones allowed five quarterback pressures and two sacks against the New York Jets, according to Next Gen Stats. Pittsburgh also has 2026 first-round offensive tackle Max Iheanachor back at practice after he missed more than two weeks with a shoulder and neck injury.
"The progress, or lack thereof, shown by 2026 first-round OT Max Iheanachor ... in the next few days could decide Jones’ fate in Pittsburgh," Patra wrote.
Steelers Could Be Looking At 3 Completely Different Failures
This is where things get ugly for Pittsburgh. All three players are 100% in danger at this point, and every one of them makes legitimate sense as a trade candidate. If Pittsburgh cannot find a willing partner, it is not difficult to envision any of the three becoming a cut candidate instead. The optics would be bad in three completely different ways.
Harrison would represent a veteran addition that simply never developed into what Pittsburgh hoped it could be. Johnson would hurt much more from a roster-building standpoint. Moving on from a third-round pick after only one season would turn what was supposed to be an exciting addition into another disappointing draft investment almost immediately. Jones would be the worst of them all.
The Steelers did not simply draft Jones. They traded up in the first round to get him with visions of finally finding a long-term answer at offensive tackle. If that relationship ends only three years later, it would be impossible to view it as anything other than a massive disappointment. Three different players. Three completely different situations. Potentially three ugly endings to moves that once created plenty of excitement in Pittsburgh.
The most telling part is that none of these situations feels impossible anymore. Harrison, Johnson and Jones entered Pittsburgh with three completely different expectations, yet all three now find themselves fighting to prove they still belong. That alone says a lot about how quickly things can change in the NFL.
The Steelers have shown in the past that they are willing to move on when they believe a player no longer fits their vision. If that happens here, each decision will sting differently, but all three would serve as reminders that draft status, contract value and previous expectations mean very little once performance starts telling a different story.
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