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4 Players Steelers Could Trade Instead of Cut

Aug 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) takes the field to play the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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4 Players Steelers Could Trade Instead of Cut

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Aug 27, 2026 7:00 AM ET

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The worst part of the preseason has finally come for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After weeks of training camp and multiple preseason contests, the team must reduce the roster from 91 players to 53, plus 16 more for the practice squad.

For plenty of current Steelers, this is the end of a dream opportunity. They might wind up on the practice squad or with another NFL franchise, or they might wind up in another professional league, or they might even end up in civilian life.

But for these Steelers, there are options. They don't have to simply cut these four players. If they want to part with them, the franchise can easily find trade partners.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Will Howard - QB On the Market

Some are convinced that the Steelers will keep four quarterbacks on the active roster, but I'm not one of those folks. To me, it makes absolutely zero sense to keep that many on the roster, even with the talent and potential players like Will Howard and Drew Allar possess.

Despite this, Howard is the odd man out. That doesn't mean he has to be thrown out with the trash, however. If head coach Mike McCarthy's evaluation and high praise for Howard is shared around the NFL, what's stopping the Steelers from sending him to another franchise for a draft pick?

Ryan McCollum - Coveted Backup Lineman?

Brock Hoffman is slated to be the key backup interior offensive lineman. With the ability to play all three positions on the inside, he brings the versatility that the coaching staff is so keen on.

It also leaves Ryan McCollum on the outside looking in. His familiarity with the franchise isn't enough to keep him on the 53-man roster, especially with Hoffman around.

But we've seen that experienced linemen are coveted on the trade market. Daniel Faalele, a universally panned guard, was recently traded for a sixth-round pick. That means the Steelers could get something for the 28-year-old McCollum.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Malik Harrison - Veteran Defender

It's pretty clear that the Steelers have no plans to keep Malik Harrison. He's been utilized so little in training camp and preseason, out of only six linebackers on the depth chart, he's undoubtedly at the bottom.

His value has plummeted in Pittsburgh, but that doesn't guarantee it has decreased that drastically around the league. McCarthy has demonstrated the value of relationships, and another NFL team with a coaching staff familiar with Harrison might be willing to spend a day three pick or pick swap to bring him in.

Kaleb Johnson - Young RB In Need of a Fresh Start

After McCarthy all but declared Johnson doesn't have the skill set that he wants in a third running back, there's about a 0% chance the 2025 third-round pick makes the active roster.

The problem for the franchise is: how do you rationalize releasing a player you spent a third-round pick on a year ago? For their own pride, the Steelers have to find a trade partner for the young runner.

Johnson has no future in Pittsburgh, that's the unfortunate reality. He could reinvent himself somewhere else, and the Steelers could recoup something, making the Johnson experiment a mostly, but not complete, failure.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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