When the Steelers trim their roster down to 53, there could be some notable veteran names who don’t make it. Whether the Steelers trade or release them, they are not hesitant to move on from even significant players. With training camp approaching, beat writer Mike DeFabo shared which veterans he believes are most on the bubble.
Cordarrelle Patterson, once one of the NFL’s elite return men, could find himself on the outside looking in. The Steelers’ backfield is full with rookie Kaleb Johnson and offseason signing Kenneth Gainwell joining Jaylen Warren. It remains to be seen if OC Arthur Smith will lobby for the hybrid RB/WR to remain on the roster as a Swiss Army knife. Other players to watch include DeMarvin Leal, a 2022 third-round pick who never carved out a niche as a tweener on the defense front, and Cole Holcomb, who was once a do-everything, three-down inside linebacker before a gruesome knee injury derailed his career in 2023. I think Holcomb still makes the team, but I’m unsure about the others.
One Steelers veteran who could be on the roster bubble, whom DeFabo did not name, is Connor Heyward. Though they may well carry four tight ends, the Jonnu Smith trade makes him less valuable. If he includes DeMarvin Leal on the list, from the same class, Heyward should probably qualify. He has played more than Leal has.
DeFabo also touched on the obvious, which is T.J. Watt, but shot down any notion he wouldn’t be on the Steelers’ roster. “Even though some have speculated that Watt could be traded, that feels unlikely”, he wrote. “The Steelers have stated publicly on numerous occasions that they’d like the star outside linebacker to finish his career in Pittsburgh, and Watt has said he doesn’t want to play for anyone other than coach Mike Tomlin”.
Holcomb is an interesting name to consider just because of the depth they have. The Steelers saw him return to health late last season, but did not promote him to the roster. In the spring, he appeared to be a full go. But they already have Patrick Queen, Malik Harrison, and Payton Wilson at linebacker. With either Mark Robinson or Carson Bruener as a special teamer, the room is crowded.
Holcomb doesn’t have much of a special-teams background, but is willing to do it to make the Steelers’ roster. With Cordarrelle Patterson as one of the worst kick returners in the NFL last season, though, that’s not hard to see. Even DeFabo questioned why he is even still on the Steelers’ roster. And with a deep defensive line room, Leal is simply running out of time.
The Steelers have a lot of defensive linemen jockeying for a roster spot, however. We could also include Isaiahh Loudermilk on this list, though perhaps he lacks the pedigree to merit consideration. They already parted ways with some prominent veterans they didn’t expect to make the roster, especially in the trenches. They released Larry Ogunjobi, a three-year starter, and then added Montravius Adams to the list. But perhaps we can include P Cameron Johnston, who may battle Corliss Waitman for the job.
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