Most significant move: The Pittsburgh Steelers gave offensive line coach Mike Munchak his wish and kept nine players up front. That still didn’t save Guy Whimper. The nine-year veteran was among the 22 players the Steelers released Saturday to get to the 53-man limit by 4 p.m. ET. Rookie fifth-round pick Wesley Johnson and guard Chris Hubbard, who spent all of last season on the Steelers’ practice squad, made the team over Whimper. Johnson could get a spot if the Steelers activate eight offensive linemen for games because of his versatility. If the Steelers only dress seven for games, Mike Adams will serve as the swing tackle with Cody Wallace the primary reserve along the interior of the line.
Hardly a crowd at outside linebacker: The Steelers kept just one outside linebacker, Arthur Moats, to provide depth (depth charts will be updated shortly) behind starters Jason Worilds and Jarvis Jones. Neither fourt-year veterans Chris Carter nor undrafted rookie Howard Jones made the team as a fourth outside linebacker. Carter didn’t show the coaches he was capable of helping the Steelers beyond special teams, and Jones is simply too raw to put on the 53-man roster. Look for Jones to land on the practice squad assuming he makes it through waivers. This is a position to watch with teams tweaking their rosters Sunday and Monday. The Steelers could add another outside linebacker when teams are allowed to start signing players who were waived at noon Sunday.
What’s next: The Steelers are allowed to put together a 10-man practice squad at noon Sunday. The team should be mostly comprised of their own players who did not make the final cut. The Steelers can also start signing players who were waived by others teams at noon Sunday. The roster is anything but final as last year the Steelers signed Wallace and punter Zoltan Mesko after submitting their initial 53-man roster.
Steelers moves: OLB Chris Carter, OT Guy Whimper, CB Shaquille Richardson, WR Derek Moye, TE David Paulson, TE Rob Blanchflower, DE Josh Mauro, DE Nick Williams, OLB Howard Jones, CB Isaiah Green, WR Lanear Sampson, LB Dan Molls, RB Stephen Houston, RB Josh Harris, LS Bryce Davis, DE Ethan Hemer, DT Roy Philon, S Ross Ventrone, QB Brendon Kay, CB Dayonne Nunley, G Will Simmons, G Graham Pocic.