​PITTSBURGH, Pa. (BLACK AND GOLD NATION) – Cutdown day is Sunday in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers have made some moves to inch closer to their 53-man roster, but still have a lot of work to do.Here are my predictions on who will make the roster.Quarterbacks (3)Aaron RodgersWill HowardDrew AllarPREDICTION: Mason Rudolph is traded for a late-round pick. While Mike McCarthy says he would be comfortable with “six quarterbacks” on the roster, I think it’s a bluff. Other teams that might want a veteran backup or an intriguing young arm could see the Steelers as an option to get one for nothing if McCarthy had said he was only going to keep three. Mike McCarthy has never carried four quarterbacks into the season. He frequently had only two in Dallas. I believe he still likes Howard despite an up-and-down preseason.Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) sits on the sidelines during an NFL exhibition football game against the Green Bay Packers in Pittsburgh Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Running Backs (4)Jaylen WarrenRico DowdleEli HeidenreichRiley Nowakowski (fullback, H-back, tight end)PREDICTION: Kaleb Johnson is either cut or traded. Johnson, who was extremely talented at Iowa, just hasn’t found his footing in the NFL. Last year’s third-round pick should quickly find another job with another team that still believes in his potential.
Steelers rookies flash great plays, growing pains in loss to Bills Lew Nichols is someone they try to sneak on the practice squad. Nichols has been the third-best back behind Dowdle and Warren, but I have a funny feeling that Heidenreich will make it instead. Heidenreich is more than a feel-good story. The Pittsburgh native is coming off an impressive showing and offers position flexibility that McCarthy likes on offense and special teams.Wide Receiver (6)DK MetcalfMichael PittmanGermie BernardRoman WilsonBen SkowronekKaden WetjenPREDICTION: I highly doubt the team will part ways with Wilson or Wetjen. Wilson has shown chemistry with Rodgers during training camp. Meanwhile, the Steelers will give their recent fourth-round pick from Iowa, who has been inconsistent in the preseason, every chance to succeed.Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (10) returns a punt for a touchdown as Buffalo Bills’ Jimmy Ciarlo (35) and Cornell Powell (85) look on in the second half of a preseason NFL football game in Orchard Park, NY., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)Tight End (3)Pat FreiermuthDarnell WashingtonRobert TonyanPREDICTION: Tonyan’s rapport with Rodgers and McCarthy earns him a spot on the 53-man roster.Offensive Line (9)Troy FautanuMason McCormickZach FrazierSpencer AndersonDylan CookMax IheanachorBroderick JonesGennings DunkerBrock HoffmanPREDICTION: Ryan McCollum is a tough offensive lineman to part ways with. However, Hoffman’s experience at center helps ease that potential loss.Defensive Line (6)Cam HeywardKeeanu BentonDerrick HarmonYahya BlackSebastian Joseph-DayG