The Pittsburgh Steelers put a nice cap on the preseason with a 19-10 win over the Carolina Panthers. But the hardest part begins now; before Tuesday, the Steelers have to shave their roster down to 53 players. Inevitably, it means some good players are hitting the road. Here are five players who won’t make that initial roster; well, one is a special case, but more on that in a moment.
5 Steelers Players Who Won’t Make the Initial 2025 Roster
Will Howard, QB
The Ohio State QB was a sixth-round pick, but many thought he could be the Steelers’ QB of the future. That said, Howard has been hurt throughout the preseason. One QB who hasn’t been hurt is Skylar Thompson. The Kansas State standout was brought to camp to provide depth, but he’s been great. In Week 1, he was 20-for-28 for 233 yards and three TDs.
In week two, he was 10 for 15 for 113 yards, and while he threw an interception, it was a deflected pass that simply wasn’t his fault. Then, this week, he was 11 for 13 for 152 yards and a score. Pittsburgh won’t cut Howard outright, but they’ll send him to IR and keep Thompson on the roster.
Beanie Bishop, CB
Bishop had an impressive rookie season with the Steelers, even earning Defensive Rookie of the Month in October. But he’s a 5’9″ player at a position where the Steelers suddenly find themselves carrying plenty of depth. Jalen Ramsey and Brandin Echols probably push Bishop out. He’s a talented and energetic defender who will land on his feet with another team, but Pittsburgh’s depth is just too much for Bishop to overcome.
Carson Bruener, LB
Bruener is another player who is just the victim of an abundance of depth. The seventh-round draft pick hasn’t played badly at all. But Mark Robinson has probably nabbed the last linebacker spot available on the roster. Bruener actually led the Steelers in tackles in the finale with seven stops. He’s a likely practice squad signee and could end up having a future with the Steelers, but probably not on the initial 53-man roster.
DeMarvin Leal, Edge
Leal has seen rookie Jack Sawyer take up a significant role on a fairly crowded roster spot. Leal was a third-round pick, but in his three seasons, he’s gradually seen his role wane. At this point, Sawyer’s productivity (five stops and two tackles for loss in the finale) leaves the Steelers able to cut Leal loose. The injury to Derrick Harmon could have some ultimate impact here, but at the end of the day, Leal is probably headed out the door.
Connor Heyward, TE
Heyward is probably the odd man out of a talented four-man group. He probably goes as Darnell Washington stays. Washington hasn’t always been the most productive of players, but his massive size gives him a red zone edge that Heyward can’t quite offset. After catching just four passes in the 2024 season, Heyward is probably superfluous to the Steeler offense. If he sticks, his use as a fullback could help, but it also may not matter.
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