[Skip to main content](#content)
The Pittsburgh Steelers have over 40 players who could be subject to waivers as they look to cut down from 90 players to 53 by the August 26 deadline and beyond.
Of course, several players on their rookie contracts should be safe from getting waived, such as 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon and other starters. But, if any of these players are waived this week, they will be subject to the waiver wire pool and can be claimed by another team.
If not, they can be a part of Pittsburgh’s 16-man practice squad, which will likely be finalized the day after the cutdown date.
DE Yahya BlackLB Carson BruenerS Sebastian CastroTE JJ GalbreathDT Derrick HarmonQB Will HowardRB Max HurlemanRB Kaleb JohnsonCB Donte KentDB Daryl PorterK Ben SaulsLB Jack SawyerG Aiden WilliamsWR Ke’Shawn WilliamsDT Kyler BaughDT Domenique DavisG Steven JonesRB Lew NicholsLB Julius WelschofCB Beanie Bishop Jr.OT Troy FautanuC Zach FrazierDB D’Shawn JamisonDT Logan LeeLB Eku LeotaG Mason McCormickWR Lance McCutcheonLB Payton WilsonWR Roman WilsonOL Spencer AndersonDL Keeanu BentonOT Dylan CookLB Nick HerbigWR Brandon JohnsonOT Broderick JonesC Ryan McCollumDE Esezi OtomewoCB Joey Porter Jr.DB Cory Trice Jr.P Corliss Waitman
TE Darnell Washington
As the final preparations begin for the season, teams will make massive changes to their roster, either waiving or releasing players. But not all players instantly become free agents and free to sign with any team.
Well, when a player is “waived,” they are subject to the waiver wire, where any team can claim them and assume their current contract. Currently, the waiver wire order (listed below) is dependent on the NFL Draft order from this past April, but without any trades.
Teams will file waiver claims at the same time, but only the team with the highest claim will successfully ‘claim’ the player and their current contract.
Whether or not a player enters the waiver wire of becomes a free agent depends on a player’s NFL service time. Players with at least four years of accrued NFL service time are outright released. If a player is released, their contract has ended, and they’re eligible to sign with any team.
However, if a player has less than four years of service time, they are waived and subject to waiver wire claims. Any player who is not claimed after being waived is eligible to sign wherever they’d like, including their former team’s practice squad.
Mainly, the group of players getting waived is those who are currently not eligible for unrestricted free agency status entering the year. They would be an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (less than three years of service) or a Restricted Free Agent (three years of service).
The NFL waiver order during the preseason and the first three weeks of the regular season mirrors the 2025 NFL Draft order. Once we get through four games, it resets to the current NFL standings. So the Titans have first crack at every player on waivers.
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cleveland Browns
3. New York Giants
4. New England Patriots
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
6. Las Vegas Raiders
7. New York Jets
8. Carolina Panthers
9. New Orleans Saints
10. Chicago Bears
11. San Francisco 49ers
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Indianapolis Colts
15. Atlanta Falcons
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Cincinnati Bengals
18. Seattle Seahawks
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Denver Broncos
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Green Bay Packers
24. Minnesota Vikings
25. Houston Texans
26. Los Angeles Rams
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. Detroit Lions
29. Washington Commanders
30. Buffalo Bills
31. Kansas City Chiefs
32. Philadelphia Eagles
[0 Comments](/pittsburgh-steelers-roster/157296/nfl-waiver-wire-explained-steelers-players-subject-to-the-process#comments)