RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have finalized their initial 53-man roster following an assortment of roster cuts and moves, including moving one standout defender to injured reserve.
From a fan-favorite rookie surviving final roster cuts to Pittsburgh's quarterback plan being brought to light, here's a look at the biggest surprises from the Steelers' initial 53-man roster.
Eli Heidenreich at RB3
It appeared that Heidenreich was destined for the practice squad, as Kaleb Johnson, Travis Homer, and Lew Nichols were all generating potential RB3 buzz heading into roster cutdown day. But Heidenreich emerged as the third-string running back behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle after the Steelers traded Johnson and released Homer and Nichols.
Elandon Roberts gets released after strong preseason
The fan-favorite linebacker returned to the Steel City a few weeks ago and showed off in a big way throughout the preseason, making huge plays against the run. Despite his strong performance and connection to new Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Roberts was unfortunately released.
Joey Porter Jr. off PUP list
Porter began training camp on the physically unable to perform list after suffering a back injury. But many assumed it had more to do with his contract drama than an actual health setback. Well, it hardly matters now, as the Steelers activated Porter off the PUP list in a flurry of roster moves to solidify their 53-man roster.
Steelers keep four quarterbacks
Pittsburgh made the extremely rare decision to keep four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar (rookie). What makes the decision strange is that Howard struggled mightily during the preseason and was seemingly primed to be either traded or released. The Steelers apparently still have faith in the young quarterback, so much so that he was given a roster spot over a more deserving player like Roberts.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Biggest surprises from Steelers' initial 53-man roster for 2026 season
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