The Pittsburgh Steelers have a much better roster on paper now than they did at this point during the 2025 offseason. The roster seems to be a bit more youthful, and there is some reason to be optimistic about the future of the franchise based on the young group of guys that are ready to make an impact. General Manager Omar Khan has done a great job drafting over the last several seasons, and that should pay off eventually. This crop of young talent on the team does mean it might be harder for veterans to make the final roster in some areas.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Owner Art Rooney II (right) on the field at a team practice while having a discussion.
Organizations typically side with younger guys over veterans when it comes to depth spots on a roster. This is for a few reasons. The first is that the younger guy is usually on a rookie deal or some other cheap contract, therefore the organization would save money. The other reason is the potential with a younger player. Veterans are already who they are going to be in the NFL, while younger guys have a chance to grow and surprise some people. This comes into play with beat writer Mark Kaboly's most recent roster prediction, as he had veteran running back Travis Homer missing the cut.
"[Rico] Dowdle and [Jaylen] Warren will take the bulk of the workload on the ground, considering they are very comparable players with comparable salaries," Kaboly wrote. "[Riley] Nowakowski’s ability to play fullback, H-back, tight end, and special teams gets him a roster spot. That leaves [Kaleb] Johnson, Travis Homer, or Eli Heidenreich for one spot. Heidenreich is a local favorite, but has a huge hill to climb to make the 53-man [roster]. Johnson seems like a popular final cut, but there was a reason why he was a third-round pick last year. He has talent that you can’t give up on this soon, and the Steelers won’t."
Kaboly did not even really mention Homer in his analysis, but he noted that Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are each locks to make the final roster, and they will be the leaders in that room. He is counting Riley Nowakowski in the running back category as he will play a lot of fullback, and he doesn't really have any competition. That leaves one spot, and Kaboly believes it would go to Kaleb Johnson.
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Kaleb Johnson carries the football during Steelers training camp.
Johnson started his rookie season on the wrong foot as he made a dreadful mistake in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks that basically sealed the loss. The rest of the season was essentially a wash as he barely saw the field, but that does not change the fact that the Steelers spent a third-round pick on him in 2025. That is a serious investment, and it would take an awful lot to just outright cut him before his second season.
The second-year player should be able to make the roster over Homer. Homer has made a name for himself on special teams with the Seahawks and the Chicago Bears in recent years, so that final running back spot might come down to whoever can carve out a role for themselves in the third phase of the game.
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Steelers' Travis Homer during his time with the Chicago Bears before walking out of the tunnel ahead of a home game.
Steelers' Final Running Back Spot Will Be Interesting
Homer is a very good special teams player, but if either Johnson or Eli Heidenreich show out on special teams, his roster spot will be in jeopardy. The final spot will come down to those three, and it should be Johnson that enters the battle with a slight advantage. He has a fresh start with a new coaching staff, and this could be a real turning point for him in his career. He won't get many carries in 2026, but he should play more than he did in 2025.
What do you think of Homer missing out on the final roster? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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