Now that the initial stages of Free Agency buzz have now died down, there are new chess pieces in place for the teams searching for the premium talent. As teams take stock of where they are with their own roster, and with what’s left of the free agent market in general, the second wave of Free Agency has started in much the same way as the first wave did: with Omar Khan firing out of the gate to get the guys he wants.

I am not exactly sure, but I feel confident in stating that Khan was the initiator of the second wave, bringing in guys like Quez Watkins, Kyle Allen, and even Cordarelle Patterson, a surprise but welcome signing to most Steelers fans.

Remember, the Steelers can sign up to 90 players to the team throughout the offseason, through Training Camp, and into the Preseason.

Just like the first time, I will split the players into their respective field groups, listed by position and totaled together. I’ll include summary notes of interest regarding position groups and players of interest. I will also be including players mentioned by trusted sources that have not yet signed their deal, but are expected to sign shortly.

As Omar Khan continues to be unpredictable throughout the offseason, we will continue to update this article weekly up until the 90 man roster is set. Be sure to stay tuned to the Steel Curtain Network for updates!

Roster Breakdown

Key:

New players are listed in BOLD

Underlined name denotes players expected to make the Final 53

* denotes player who has position flexibility

**UPDATED 3/31/24**

Offense

Total # of Players: 35

Quarterback (3) – Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kyle Allen

Running Back (5) – Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Alfonzo Graham, Aaron Shampklin, Jack Colletto

Tight End (4) – Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington*, Connor Heyward*, Rodney Williams

Wide Receiver (10) – George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Cordarelle Patterson*, Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins*, Dez Fitzpatrick, Marquez Callaway, Keilhan Harris, Denzel Mims, Deuce Watts

Offensive Tackle (8) – Broderick Jones*, Dan Moore Jr, Spencer Anderson*, Tyler Beach, Dylan Cook, Kellen Diesch, Devery Hamilton, Anderson Hardy

Offensive Guard (4) – James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo, Nate Herbig*, Joey Fisher

Center (1) – Ryan McCollum

Notes of Interest:

• Still waiting on a Center. Not going to lie, this is slowly starting to make me nervous that the Steelers haven’t done ANYTHING about this position yet. The one thing I don’t want the Steelers to do is HAVE to rely on the new guy to become “The Guy” before he might be ready.
• Cordarelle Patterson is right up there with Patrick Queen as my favorite free agent signing so far. I’ve always been a fan of his, but with the new kickoff rules in place, I think this move is going to pay off huge.
• WR isn’t as big of a need, but I definitely expect to see the Steelers draft one next month. First round? Not with C, DT, OT, or CB as bigger needs right now. 3rd Round is looking like it might be the spot for one.
• Could the Steelers surprise by filling the RB room with a pick before the 5th round?
• Do they pick up a QB in the Draft, or wait for UDFA’s/Camp Cuts?

Defense

Total # of Players: 36

Defensive Tackle (6) – Cam Heyward, Montravius Adams, Isaiah Loudermilk, Larry Ogunjobi, Jonathan Marshall, Jacob Slade

Nose Tackle (1) – Breiden Fehoko

Defensive Line (1) – Keanu Benton*

Defensive End (2) – Demarvin Leal, Dean Lowry

EDGE (7) – TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, David Perales, Tyler Murray, Jeremiah Moon, Kyron Johnson

Inside Linebacker (4) – Patrick Queen, Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Mark Robinson

Cornerback (8) – Joey Porter Jr, Donte Jackson, Darius Rush, Cory Trice Jr, Kalon Barnes, Luq Barcoo, Thomas Graham Jr, Josiah Scott

Safety (7) – Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damonte Kazee, Miles Killebrew*, Jalen Elliott, Nathan Meadors, Trenton Thompson

Notes of Interest:

• As I’m looking at this list, major investments need to be made into the Defensive Line. The Steelers are a couple injuries away in this department from not even being able to utilize their prized Free Agent Linebacker to his full capabilities. They desperately need Fehoko to step up as a true Nose, or the Steelers need to find that guy ASAP. I’m still pining for T’Vondre Sweat from Texas.
• Is CB high on the list of needs in the Draft, even after bringing in Jackson? I still say yes, and it should not be off the table for Round 1.
• I expect the Steelers to take a late round flyer on a Linebacker of some kind. Whether it’s a Mid or EDGE remains to be seen. Knowing Tomlin, it’ll be someone who can play both, from a small school near Virginia or Maryland, who jumped out of the gym on their Pro Day. Book it.

Special Teams

Total # of Players: 3

Long Snapper (1) – Christian Kuntz

Punter (1) – Cameron Johnston

Kicker (1) – Chris Boswell

Notes of Interest:

• I am sure that the Steelers are going to sign another Kicker and Punter for Camp Legs at some point. Probably after the UDFA’s are prioritized. Who knows, maybe they spend big and use a 6th Rounder on a Long Snapper?

Recap

Offensive Players: 35

Defensive Players: 36

Special Teams Players: 3

Total Number of Rostered Players: 74

Total Number of Roster Spots Available: 16

Well, with 7 Draft picks coming up next month when the NFL Draft commences on April 25th, you can see that this leaves the Steelers with a presumptive 9 roster spots to fill once the Draft concludes.

It gets easier to see how they will get to 90 bodies when you consider that Undrafted Free Agents will get signed in the hours and days following the Draft. Last season, Pittsburgh signed 6 UDFA’s to their squad immediately following the Draft, including David Perales, who is still with the team this year.

So how do YOU feel about how the roster is shaping up? What kind of Draft plans do you think the Steelers have for April 25th, and how they are going to fill the last remaining spots on the roster? Let me know in the comments below!