Breaking Down Of Steelers' Final 2023 53-Man Roster

For the NFL and the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is unfortunately that time of the year again. Rosters are cut down from 90 men to 53 men. The Steelers have made several interesting moves, including trading away a pair of offensive linemen, Kevin Dotson and Kendrick Green. However, with the cuts being made, it's time to look at who made the team and what the team looks like heading into the 2023 regular season. 

Official Steelers 53-Man Roster

QB: Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph

There are no surprises here. Pickett is obviously the starter, and Trubisky was confirmed to be on the final roster when he signed his extension earlier in the offseason. The QB battle was between Rudolph and Tanner Morgan, and Morgan was cut during the first wave of releases that the Steelers made over the weekend after struggling in preseason.

RB: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Anthony McFarland

With Connor Heyward being an option as a utility player, the Steelers clearly didn't see a need to keep a fourth running back on the roster. McFarland has had trouble with keeping a roster spot, but with Benny Snell leaving in free agency, combined with McFarland's play in preseason, he was a lock to make the roster. Hopefully the Steelers will use him and his speed this time. 

WR: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin III, Gunner Olszewski, Miles Boykin 

It's great to see Austin healthy and on the roster. Even though Olszewski and Boykin have been rumored to be cut since the beginning of the offseason, they both make it back to the initial roster as blocking receivers. With the lack of depth and experience at return man, Olszewski also makes sense to keep. 

TE: Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward

It was known that Freiermuth and Washington would make it to the 53-man roster, but it was a little bit of a surprise to see the Steelers cut Zach Gentry. Gentry was thought of as the TE3 on the team with Heyward being more of a utility player than a fullback. Heyward will still get reps all over the place. He will be expected to play tight end, fullback, and potentially running back all throughout the season. Heyward not being a traditional tight end is what makes the Gentry cut surprising, even after Washington outplayed him in preseason.

OL: Dan Moore Jr., Isaac Seumalo, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chukwuma Okorafor, Broderick Jones, Nate Herbig, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook

One of, if not the biggest camp battle of the year was for the last offensive line spot between Dotson, Green, Anderson, and Cook. The Steelers tried to make Green fit on the roster, but in the end, it didn't work out and he was traded to the Houston Texans. Dotson was seemingly in the doghouse since 2022, which raised questions about his spot on the roster. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for two pick swaps. After that, it was a question of if they keep Anderson or Cook, and they kept both. 

Both Anderson and Cook had strong preseasons. Cook looks to be solid depth at right tackle behind Okorafor, and Anderson is a utility lineman; Mike Tomlin loves his versatility. While neither are expected to get any snaps in the regular season, it's still good to have that kind of depth for a position group that lacks depth all across the league. It's also rare to have a first-round rookie as a depth piece, but that's what the Steelers are doing with Jones backing up Moore to start the season.

DL: Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Larry Ogunjobi, DeMarvin Leal, Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Armon Watts

Leal will likely be in rotation with Heyward, while also rotating with Ogunjobi on the other side. In another surprising move, the Steelers opted to keep both Loudermilk and Watts over Breiden Fehoko for the defensive line depth. 

Even if Benton does not start over Adams right off the bat, he will most likely become the starting nose tackle very soon in the regular season. Adams was a waiver-wire pick-up in 2021 that helped with the run defense, but Benton has shown that he can help stop both the pass and the run by being that strong, physical body in the middle that the Steelers have desperately needed since Tyson Alualu broke his foot. 

EDGE: TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Markus Golden, Nick Herbig

Nothing here is the least bit surprising. Watt and Highsmith will be starting with their big paydays, while Golden and Herbig back them up after they had strong camps. Strong might be an understatement for Herbig, however. 

ILB: Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Kwon Alexander, Mark Robinson 

Three of the four linebackers were signed in free agency to try and overhaul a weak linebacker core, and they looked great in preseason. Teryl Austin has already announced that the entire linebacker core will be rotated around and used as a linebacker by committee as opposed to having set starters. Robinson has shown his ability to fly to the ball-carrier and hit, but if he can read the field better and not over-commit, he could take playing time away from the others. There's also the possibility than one or more of the starting safeties take some dimebacker reps, leaving only one ILB on the field. 

CB: Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, Joey Porter Jr., Chandon Sullivan, James Pierre (Steelers signing Desmond King)

The only real question here was if the Steelers were going to keep Pierre or not, and with the lack of cornerback depth from cutting Ahkello Witherspoon and placing Cory Trice Jr. on IR, the door flung wide open for Pierre to get his roster spot back. Sullivan will likely be the starting slot corner, but not without some in-season competition. The Steelers are planning to give Peterson some reps at slot corner as well. The competition does not stop there, however. 

S: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Keanu Neal, Miles Killebrew, Elijah Riley

Despite Tre Norwood having experience at the slot corner role, he could not beat out Riley for the backup safety and slot corner role for 2023. Riley has been a regular on the practice squad for the Steelers for a couple years now, and even made it to the active roster to end 2022. This time, he is able to begin the season on the 53-man roster and get some playing time, at least for special teams. Speaking of special teams, Killebrew is back and likely to be named captain again.

K: Chris Boswell

P: Pressley Harvin III, Braden Mann

LS: Christian Kuntz

Even though the Steelers kept two punters, it is rumored that they only did that so they can try and find a trade partner for Mann. Boswell, Harvin, and Kuntz won their competitions as expected. Even if Harvin is an inconsistent punter, him and Kuntz have great chemistry with Boswell on the field goal process, so naturally, the Steelers will stick with what makes their prized kicker happy.