Behind the Steel Curtain
The Pittsburgh Steelers have over 40 players who could be subject to waivers as they look to cut down from 90 players to 53 by the August 26 deadline and beyond.
Of course, several players on their rookie contracts should be safe from getting waived, such as 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon and other starters. But, if any of these players are waived this week, they will be subject to the waiver wire pool and can be claimed by another team.
If not, they can be a part of Pittsburgh’s 16-man practice squad, which will likely be finalized the day after the cutdown date.
DE Yahya Black
LB Carson Bruener
S Sebastian Castro
TE JJ Galbreath
DT Derrick Harmon
QB Will Howard
RB Max Hurleman
RB Kaleb Johnson
CB Donte Kent
DB Daryl Porter
K Ben Sauls
LB Jack Sawyer
G Aiden Williams
WR Ke’Shawn Williams
DT Kyler Baugh
DT Domenique Davis
G Steven Jones
RB Lew Nichols
LB Julius Welschof
CB Beanie Bishop Jr.
OT Troy Fautanu
C Zach Frazier
DB D’Shawn Jamison
DT Logan Lee
LB Eku Leota
G Mason McCormick
WR Lance McCutcheon
LB Payton Wilson
WR Roman Wilson
OL Spencer Anderson
DL Keeanu Benton
OT Dylan Cook
LB Nick Herbig
WR Brandon Johnson
OT Broderick Jones
C Ryan McCollum
DE Esezi Otomewo
CB Joey Porter Jr.
DB Cory Trice Jr.
P Corliss Waitman
TE Darnell Washington
As the final preparations begin for the season, teams will make massive changes to their roster, either waiving or releasing players. But not all players instantly become free agents and free to sign with any team.
Well, when a player is “waived,” they are subject to the waiver wire, where any team can claim them and assume their current contract. Currently, the waiver wire order (listed below) is dependent on the NFL Draft order from this past April, but without any trades.
Teams will file waiver claims at the same time, but only the team with the highest claim will successfully ‘claim’ the player and their current contract.
Whether or not a player enters the waiver wire of becomes a free agent depends on a player’s NFL service time. Players with at least four years of accrued NFL service time are outright released. If a player is released, their contract has ended, and they’re eligible to sign with any team.
However, if a player has less than four years of service time, they are waived and subject to waiver wire claims. Any player who is not claimed after being waived is eligible to sign wherever they’d like, including their former team’s practice squad.
Mainly, the group of players getting waived is those who are currently not eligible for unrestricted free agency status entering the year. They would be an Exclusive Rights Free Agent (less than three years of service) or a...
