Steelers Make 2 More Notable Cuts As 53-Man Roster Now Takes Shape

The Pittsburgh Steelers are quickly working their way toward their initial 53-man roster, and General Manager Omar Khan is showing that experience will not guarantee anyone a spot. Pittsburgh already made one surprising move at inside linebacker on Sunday, but the organization was far from finished as two more defenders were informed they would not be sticking around.

Tom Pelissero was the first to report that Pittsburgh is releasing defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo, an individual who spent time with the organization throughout 2025.

The insider also made it known that the Steelers will be moving on from veteran inside linebacker Malik Harrison, something that was essentially expected due to his financial situation.

Harrison's departure is particularly notable after Pittsburgh also moved on from Elandon Roberts earlier Sunday. Harrison appeared in 11 regular-season games and made nine starts for the Steelers in 2025, but entered this summer facing significant competition in a crowded inside linebacker room.

Harrison's release represents a fairly significant change from how Pittsburgh viewed the position entering training camp. The Steelers brought him to Pittsburgh on a two-year contract before the 2025 season after he spent his first five years with the Baltimore Ravens. At the time, his ability to play multiple linebacker spots and contribute heavily on special teams made him an attractive addition.

His first season in Pittsburgh did not go completely according to plan. Harrison landed on Injured Reserve (IR) after Week 1 and ultimately missed six games, but he still managed to start nine of the 11 contests in which he appeared. He finished the year with 37 tackles and two tackles for loss, providing the defense with an experienced option whenever his number was called.

Heading into this year's training camp, Harrison and Cole Holcomb were viewed as veteran options behind Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson. That made Sunday's news somewhat surprising on its own, but it became even more noteworthy because Pittsburgh had already released Elandon Roberts earlier in the day.

Suddenly, a position group that appeared to have plenty of veteran insurance is getting younger in a hurry. The Steelers clearly feel comfortable with the linebackers who remain, and the decisions could create an even larger opportunity for Carson Bruener as Pittsburgh sorts through the final spots on its initial roster.

Otomewo faced a similar numbers problem along the defensive front. He appeared in 12 contests for Pittsburgh last season and recorded nine tackles and one sack before returning to the organization on a one-year deal during the offseason.

Otomewo's situation was different, but his release is another example of how difficult Pittsburgh's roster math has become along the defensive front. The Steelers initially signed the former Minnesota Vikings fifth-round pick ahead of the 2025 season, and he gave the defense useful rotational snaps when injuries tested the group's depth.

His production was modest, but Otomewo made the most noticeable play of his Steelers tenure late in the season when he recorded a sack against the Miami Dolphins. Pittsburgh saw enough value to bring him back on another one-year contract in March, giving him an opportunity to compete for a rotational role during training camp.

The problem was simply the number of bodies Pittsburgh had accumulated around him. Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon already formed a strong foundation, while young defensive lineman Yahya Black continued pushing for a larger role. The offseason addition of veteran Sebastian Joseph-Day only made that competition more difficult.

That left very little room for Otomewo to separate himself. Unlike Harrison, who entered camp with considerable starting experience, Otomewo was fighting for one of the final rotational jobs along a defensive front Pittsburgh has invested heavily in over the last two offseasons.

Neither move necessarily qualifies as a blockbuster on its own, but taken together with the other decisions Pittsburgh has made during cutdowns, they show just how much turnover is occurring on the defensive side of the ball. The Steelers are not simply trimming fringe players. They are moving on from veterans who played legitimate roles for them as recently as last season.

Steelers Continue To Make Difficult Roster Decisions

Both releases provide additional clarity at two of Pittsburgh's deepest defensive position groups. Khan and the Steelers still have more decisions to make before the roster is finalized, but Sunday's activity has already shown how quickly things can change during cutdown weekend.

With Harrison, Roberts and Otomewo now out of the picture, Pittsburgh's new-look defense is beginning to take its final shape.

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