With the Pittsburgh Steelers reporting to the Saint Vincent College in Latrobe on Tuesday for the start of their 2026 training camp, it’s time to finally throw out my initial 53-man roster prediction for the team.

As usual, I have included some analysis underneath each position group. I invite you to post your own differences in the comments below along with your own 53-man roster prediction.

My next stab at the Steelers’ 53-man roster will likely be posted right before the team’s first preseason game. After that, one will come after each preseason game.

Offense (25)

Quarterbacks (3) – Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard, Drew Allar

Analysis: Rodgers and Allar are both obvious locks when it comes to the three quarterbacks that the team is likely to keep. From there, I am guessing Howard will battle Mason Rudolph for the right to back up Rodgers. I am giving the nod to Howard in that battle at the start of camp. If he plays poorly throughout the preseason, I will obviously be switching in Rudolph for him. I doubt the loser of the Howard/Rudolph battle will land on the practice squad.

Running Backs (4) – Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis Homer, Eli Heidenreich

Analysis: I am starting camp by leaving Kaleb Johnson off my 53-man roster prediction. He has a lot to prove this summer, especially when it comes to his abilities to serve as a special teams asset. Warren and Dowdle are obvious locks. From there, I have Homer making the 53-man roster and primarily because of his special teams play. I also have the Steelers keeping Heidenreich as he can play both running back and wide receiver. Heidenreich might be an inactive player to start the season, however.

Wide Receivers (6) – DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard, Ben Skowronek , Kaden Wetjen

Analysis: This position group feels fairly cut and dry at the start of camp with Wilson probably being the biggest question mark. Metcalf, Pittman, and Bernard are obvious locks. It feels like the same when it comes to Skowronek and Wetjen as both figure to be primary special teams components in 2026. Wilson certainly needs to have a great camp and preseason or the team might move on from him and thus carry five wide receivers plus Swiss Navy knife Heidenreich.

Tight Ends/Fullbacks (3) – Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Riley Nowakowski

Analysis: I toyed with the idea of keeping an additional tight end, and specifically Robert Tonyan. However, Tonyan really isn’t that great of a blocker and special teams player at this point of his career. I think he might easily be able to be kept around on the practice squad as a veteran player on that list and especially given his connections to Rodgers and HC Mike McCarthy. To me, there is no reason to keep four in this group based on the players to choose from.

Offensive Linemen (9) – Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, Spencer Anderson, Max Iheanachor, Dylan Cook, Brock Hoffman, Gennings Dunker, Jack Driscoll

Analysis: I was really tempted to keep just eight offensive linemen but just couldn’t get myself to do that at the start of camp even though McCarthy has entered regular seasons with just eight at the position group before. My choices are quite obvious ones for the nine except for maybe Driscoll, who can play both tackle and guard. I have Broderick Jones starting the regular season on the Reserve/PUP list right now. Obviously, I will swap him out for Driscoll if he’s ready to go by the start of the regular season.

Defense (25)

Defensive Linemen (7) – Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Yahya Black, Esezi Otomewo, Gabriel Rubio

Analysis: The first five of the seven above are easy choices. The final two, however, are not. I will start camp by giving the nods for the final two spots to the veteran Otomewo and the rookie draft pick Rubio. Both of those final two players should obviously not be considered locks.

Inside Linebackers (4) – Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Carson Bruener

Analysis: I really don’t think that Malik Harrison will ultimately make the 53-man roster this year barring any injuries to the four players I have listed. I think only four might be needed at this position group as well and especially if Homer is kept on offense as a core special teams player. I reserve the right to grow this group to five throughout the remainder of the offseason.

Outside Linebackers (4) – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer

Analysis: This position group feels like the easiest one to predict on the defensive side of the football. These four outside linebackers certainly don’t need explanation. Assuming all four stay healthy throughout camp and the preseason, there’s no reason to think the Steelers will keep more than four outside linebackers.

Cornerbacks (5) – Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandin Echols, Daylen Everette

Analysis: This position group feels like another easy one to predict and at least when it comes to the top five. Do they need to keep six in total with Jalen Ramsey being such a versatile player and one who can play outside cornerback, nickel cornerback, and slot cornerback in addition to free safety? Probably not, unless that extra cornerback winds up being a great special teams player.

Safeties (5) – Jalen Ramsey, Jaquan Brisker, DeShon Elliott, Sebastian Castro, Robert Spears-Jennings

Analysis: The first three are obviously easy choices. I have Castro making it as a special teams core player and possibly the personal protector on the punt team, which is a very important position to think about. I also have the team keeping yet another draft pick in Spears-Jennings, who might be a great gunner option right out of the chute. At the very least, Spears-Jennings might start the regular season on the inactive list.

Specialists (3)

Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell

Analysis: Barring an injury, Boswell should be a lock again this season and especially on the heels of him signing a lucrative contract extension this offseason.

Punter (1) – Cameron Johnston

Analysis: For the time being, Johnston is the only punter on the offseason 91-man roster and thus he is the only choice one can make until something maybe changes during training camp or the preseason.

Long Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz

Analysis: Kuntz is the incumbent long snapper once again and as of the start of camp, he doesn’t have any competition for his spot. Kuntz would need an awful camp and preseason, or a serious injury of some type, to not make the 53-man roster this year.

Non-53-Man Spots (2)

Reserve/Injured (1) – Daequan Hardy

Analysis: Hardy has been on the Reserve/Injured list most of the offseason and he will likely remain on it throughout most of the regular season. He is on a split salary, however.

Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform (1) – Broderick Jones

Analysis: We will find out very soon if Jones will start camp on the Active/PUP list because of his neck issue dating back to last season. If he does start camp on Active/PUP, there will be no guarantee that he’ll be ready to come off the list ahead of the start of the regular season. For now, I predict that he starts the regular season on the Reserve/PUP list. That prediction, however, obviously could change quickly in the next few days.

Practice Squad (17)  – WR A.T. Perry, DT Logan Lee, DT Kevin Jobity Jr., CB D’Shawn Jamison, RB Lew Nichols, ILB Jacoby Windmon , CB Devan Boykin, C Gregory Crippen, G/T Steven Jones, T Lorenzo Thompson, WR Brandon Smith, RB Max Hurleman, TE Robert Tonyan, S Darnell Savage, S Jack Henderson, DT Anthony Goodlow, OLB Julius Welschof (INT exception)