Steelers Make Shocking Move To Release Veteran Fan Favorite

The Pittsburgh Steelers are just two weeks away from beginning the 2026 regular season. There is a lot of excitement in the air because of a new coaching staff being in town, and the collective should have some serious depth and talent to it. However, General Manager Omar Khan will be making plenty of difficult decisions on Sunday as the team gets set to announce is initial 53-man roster.

There are always surprising cuts this time of year, and the Steelers made one on Sunday morning several hours before the league's deadline. After coming in toward the end of training camp, veteran fan favorite and linebacker Elandon Roberts has reportedly been released by the franchise.

This is quite the surprise given the abilities Roberts showed in the preseason. He was a jolt of energy and performed very well. Now, either Cole Holcomb or Malik Harrison will have a pretty clear path to making the team. This will likely upset the fan base because there was absolutely nothing done in the offseason to upgrade the inside linebackers' unit.

There is always a possibility of Roberts returning in some capacity, but now that he has been released, he can immediately start looking at other avenues once operations around the league settle on their rosters, as well as Injured Reserve (IR) situations. Roberts had five total tackles and one for a loss in the Steelers' final exhibition matchup on Thursday evening. The reported transaction does come off as a bit interesting in the grand scheme of things.

The veteran is no stranger to Pittsburgh, as he spent time playing in the city during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. After that, he found his way to competing for the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2025 campaign. He had Patrick Graham as his defensive coordinator in Sin City, so that is just another reason as to why him being cut comes off as a bit confusing.

There could be several reasons for the move, but regardless, Pittsburgh's situation at inside linebacker now remains unchanged for the time being. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson will operate as the starters; however, Holcomb and Harrison aren't necessarily backups to truly rely on. Carson Bruener has also potentially worked his way into the rotation, which could be the main reason for Roberts' abrupt departure.

It's not hard to be a fan of Roberts' game. He is a thumper who is phenomenal against the run. Additionally, he provides legitimate leadership for any defense. While he is on the older side at 32, he has proven that he can still play at a high level. It will be interesting to see if he ends up working his way back to the Steelers. For that to happen, Holcomb, Harrison, or maybe even both, would probably have to be sent on their respective ways.

With that said, it would have just made sense to keep Roberts around in the first place. There will certainly be plenty of dialogue about this move going forward, as the veteran made an extremely solid case throughout exhibition play. Despite arriving very late in the offseason, he showcased his abilities to perform at a high level, even in what is going to be his 11th professional campaign.

Steelers Could Potentially Have A Sneaky Move In The Works

On Saturday evening, Khan decided to trade former first-round pick Broderick Jones and a future fourth-rounder to the Dallas Cowboys. In return, Pittsburgh ended up receiving third- and sixth-round selections. This was viewed as a great return, and the front office may already be considering using some of that capital. The Steelers might need some help at inside linebacker, and a trade cannot be ruled out as of now.

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