The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the 2025 NFL season as one of the top potential Super Bowl contenders in the AFC.
During the offseason, the front office was extremely aggressive. It is clear that the Steelers were loading up to make a run at a championship this season with no other goal in mind.
Aaron Rodgers was signed to a one-year deal. The future Hall of Fame quarterback has opened up that the 2025 campaign will be his final NFL season. In addition to the Rodgers move, Pittsburgh also traded for both DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey, with tight end Jonnu Smith also being acquired in the Ramsey deal.
Entering training camp this month, the Steelers are going to have a lot of roster competition. On both sides of the football, there will be major battles for a spot on the team.
With that in mind, reports are starting to take a look at who might and might not make it.
When it comes to Pittsburgh, there were three players mentioned as possible roster cuts by The Athletic's Mike DeFabo.
"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," DeFabo wrote.
"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."
Patterson didn't play a very big role last season for the Steelers. He appeared in 13 games, carrying the football 32 times for 135 yards and catching 12 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. DeMarvin Leal only played in five games and had four total tackles in 2024.
As for Holcomb, he would be the biggest surprise of the bunch. The 28-year-old linebacker played in eight games last season, totaling 54 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and two defended passes.
It will be interesting to see what the Pittsburgh roster looks like when it's all said and done. The next month will be very interesting for the Steelers.
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