PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers open the 2026 NFL regular season against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13 (1 p.m. ET, Fox) at Acrisure Stadium. But first they play one more preseason game Thursday at the Buffalo Bills (7 p.m. ET, NFL Network) and then must cut their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Who will make the team? Which positions have tough decisions on deck? And where might the lineup be deepest and thinnest this season?
The toughest decision facing the Steelers comes behind Aaron Rodgers and the deliberation between keeping two or three backup quarterbacks. Will Howard and Drew Allar are young and unproven, but their preseason performances show they're progressing well under coach Mike McCarthy and could handle filling in for Rodgers in case of emergency. Beyond quarterback, the depth on the defensive line made that position a difficult one to reduce.
Here is our projection for the 53-man roster for the Steelers.
Quarterbacks (4)
Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Allar
McCarthy has never had four quarterbacks on his Week 1 roster, but that changes this season. While keeping four signal-callers takes away another roster spot, the decision is necessary because the gulf between Rudolph and the pair of young quarterbacks is sizable.
That much was noticeable in the second preseason game when Howard threw a pair of interceptions and couldn't replicate the success he had in his first outing. Allar's arm talent is evident, but he is still too green to be a legitimate safety net for a 42-year-old quarterback. Keeping Rudolph along with Allar and Howard gives the Steelers an insurance policy for Rodgers and McCarthy more time to evaluate and develop potential future options.
Running backs (3)
Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Travis Homer
Lew Nichols turned heads in training camp, but ultimately, Homer's special teams prowess gives him the edge over the undrafted free agent. Nichols, though, is a good practice squad candidate. Kaleb Johnson, a 2025 third-round pick, was buried in the running back rotation throughout training camp and struggled to stand out in a crowded backfield.
Wide receivers (6)
DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Germie Bernard, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Kaden Wetjen
No change here from the pre-training camp prediction. This group has been solidified throughout camp.
Tight ends (3)
Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Robert Tonyan
Tonyan emerged as Howard's go-to target in the first preseason game, and he's a savvy veteran with a good rapport with Rodgers from their Green Bay days. He rounds out a solid tight end group.
Fullbacks (1)
The rookie is a true fullback, something the Steelers haven't had since Roosevelt Nix in 2019.
Offensive linemen (9)
Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook, Max Iheanachor, Gennings Dunker, Brock Hoffman, Broderick Jones
Jones' health to start training camp was a pleasant surprise after a long recovery from season-ending neck surgery. He still hasn't regained his strength or technique, but Iheanachor's early camp injury means that the Steelers need as much veteran depth as they can get at tackle.
Defensive linemen (6)
Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Gabriel Rubio
One of the biggest surprises of training camp is sixth-round rookie Rubio, who even missed the last six games of his final season at Notre Dame with an elbow injury. Rubio performed well in his preseason debut, and because of that, he edges out veterans Dean Lowry and Esezi Otomewo.
Linebackers (9)
T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Jack Sawyer, Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, Carson Bruener, Elandon Roberts
Roberts' late addition infused a shot of energy into training camp, and he'll be a key player in the Steelers' run defense. Veteran Malik Harrison was unnoticeable during camp, leading to Roberts taking his spot.
Cornerbacks (6)
Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr, Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., Daylen Everette, Brandin Echols
Half of this group missed significant parts of training camp either on PUP (Ramsey and Porter) or with an injury (Echols). But the Steelers unearthed quality depth in their absence thanks to a standout camp from Samuel. Everette, a rookie, had some growing pains in camp but largely held up against tough competition.
Safeties (3)
DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker, Rayshawn Jenkins
Keeping the fourth quarterback means making cuts somewhere else on the roster, and with the position flexibility of Ramsey, that spot is safety. Seventh-round pick Robert Spears-Jennings benefited from extra snaps in training camp with Elliott slowly working back from last season's knee injury, but the numbers just don't work in his favor. He's a great candidate for the practice squad and could get some gameday elevations to prove his value.
Special teams (3)
Chris Boswell (K), Cameron Johnston (P), Christian Kuntz (LS)
No changes here. The standard is the standard.