Tag: Steelers roster cuts

Botched plays cost Quez Watkins spot on Steelers roster

Watkins struggled in the preseason and faced plenty of competition to make the team.

According to NFL reporter Matt Lombardo, the Pittsburgh Steelers are releasing wide receiver Quez Watkins. The Steelers and all 32 NFL teams have until the end of business on Tuesday to get their initial rosters down to 53.

Given the depth issues the Steelers have wide receiver, we wondered if the mistakes Watkins made in the preseason would cost him an opportunity. Watkins struggled in games but was typically reported to redeem himself at practice.

With Watkins out, this gives Dez Fitzpatrick an excellent shot to make the 53-man roster. Normally the Steelers keep five receivers on the active roster but could opt for six this year.

If the Steelers keep six receivers this year our prediction would be George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Dez Fitzpatrick and Scotty Miller.

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Steelers release key backup offensive tackle

The Steelers released Devery Hamilton.

On Sunday, news came out that backup offensive tackle Dylan Cook could miss several weeks with a foot injury. This is in addition to the knee injury suffered by rookie Troy Fautanu. With the start of the season in question for both guys, we assumed offensive tackle Devery Hamilton would be kept on the 53-man roster.

However, when the Steelers announced their first round of cuts, Hamilton made the list.

This leaves the Steelers woefully thin at offensive tackle to start the season. If Cook starts the year on IR and Fautanu isn’t healthy for Week One, Pittsburgh has no backup on the team.

What does this mean? Most likely, General Manager Omar Khan is going to hit up free agency once roster cuts are final for a castoff or two from another NFL team.

Pittsburgh’s offensive tackles have struggled in preseason and Fautanu can’t get healthy fast enough for this unit.

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Steelers release cornerback Josiah Scott ahead of first padded practice

The Steelers released former Eagles CB Josiah Scott on Monday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw all they needed from cornerback Josiah Scott, releasing the veteran cornerback in a surprise move on the eve of their first padded practice of the 2024 training camp.

The timing of Scott’s release is a bit of a head-scratcher, especially considering Pittsburgh’s lean at nickelback/slot corner. Thomas Graham, who played in the slot with the Cleveland Browns, and former Houston Texan Grayland Arnold, who can play outside, slot and safety remain.

However, undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop leads the pack. According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo, Bishop has excelled in opportunities to work with the starters.

Cameron Sutton is suspended for the first eight weeks of the regular season and while he’s with the team, starter reps have been few during the first week of practice. More than anything, the Steelers need to see what they have in the first-year West Virginia product.

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