The Pittsburgh Steelers have already played two preseason games in the 2026 preseason, and the team is preparing for its preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. This is going to be an important game for several players on the preseason roster as the front office and the coaching staff are going to have to cut the group down to 53 players for the active roster on Sunday. Every player on the 53-man roster bubble is going to have to put together a good performance in Buffalo, and that even includes some rookies that were drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
A 2026 draft pick potentially being cut on Sunday shouldn't surprise people. In fact, it should be expected. 10 players is a large draft class, and it would be nearly impossible for all 10 players to make the final roster. The obvious player that needs to make an impact is Eli Heidenreich, as he has done nothing so far to prove that he should make the final roster. There are some other veterans and other draft picks that are going to need to be impressive. Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo joined 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning, and he was asked about certain players that might be playing for a roster spot on Thursday night.
"There's a few because this is the first time we've dealt with McCarthy and the final cuts right, we kind of knew how it was going to go with Tomlin," Fittipaldo said. "The one that's interesting to me, and I keep going back to this. I just have a hard time thinking they're going to cut a fourth-round draft pick, but you guys remember what McCarthy said about Kaden Wetjen about a week ago after not scoring a touchdown after that long catch and run? Then he has the fumble. Travis Homer, has he done enough to be that number three running back? Robert Spears-Jennings, that rookie safety, he's played well on special teams. There's probably four or five guys."
The first player mentioned by Fittipaldo was return specialist and wide receiver Kaden Wetjen. It was a bit of a surprise when the Steelers drafted him in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft as he was expected to be drafted way later or even go undrafted. He has made big plays in the preseason, but it seems like there is a chance that Head Coach Mike McCarthy might decide to move on from the rookie.
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Pittsburgh Steelers return specialist Kaden Wetjen (10) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The organization is going to get scrutinized if it releases a fourth-round pick that hasn't even seen a regular season in the NFL, and everyone that questioned the pick when it first happened would be completely vindicated. Another draft pick that could be on the chopping block is safety Robert Spears-Jennings. His athleticism and physicality have flashed, but the numbers might be working against him. If the Steelers do end up keeping four quarterbacks, another position group on the roster is going to lose a spot, and there is a good chance that would occur in the secondary.
Steelers' Running Back Room Is Interesting
How the coaching staff decides to fill out the running back room is going to be interesting to pay attention to. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are going to be carrying the ball more than anyone else, but there are other names to watch including Heidenreich, Travis Homer, Kaleb Johnson, and Lew Nichols. Homer is a veteran who is known for his prowess on special teams, which is why he was signed during free agency. His spot could already be locked up due to his work in the third phase of the game, but Fittipaldo is skeptical.
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