Steelers add 3 to roster, including 37-year-old long snapper Jake McQuaide

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a flurry of roster moves in advance of their preseason finale, announcing the additions of a long snapper, cornerback and offensive lineman on Monday.

Jake McQuaide, Kam Alexander and Julian Pearl were signed to the 90-man roster eight days before it needs trimming to 53 as the NFL prepares for the start of its regular season.

A long snapper, McQuaide is the most notable name as a 37-year-old NFL veteran of 197 regular-season games. Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz suffered a chest injury during Saturday’s preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kuntz might not be ready for the regular season opener Sept. 7. Regardless of how much time he misses, the Steelers needed a snapper to play Thursday’s preseason finale at the Carolina Panthers.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, McQuaide has performed as a long snapper for the Rams (in both St. Louis and Los Angeles), Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins. He spent four late-season 2024 games with the Vikings and three with the Dolphins, giving him 14 tenured seasons of experience.

“Fourteen and we will see – try to get 15 if we can,” McQuaide said. “Just one day at a time.”

Kuntz was at practice Monday in his jersey, and he had on no brace or wrap. He expressed hope that he could still play in New York against the Jets in the first game of the regular season.

Of Kuntz’s prognosis for being out, coach Mike Tomlin termed it, “more short-term.”

Among a dwindling number of active players left who played for the St. Louis Rams (the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 2016), McQuaide has perspective on his situation at this stage of his career.

“I am here today, that’s all I need,” he said. “All I know is I am here today.”

The Steelers brought two long snappers to camp but released Tucker Addington two weeks ago to open up a roster spot for a fourth quarterback in the wake of the hand injury suffered by Will Howard.

Alexander is a rookie cornerback who played last season in college at Oregon but went undrafted. The 5-foot-11, 183-pound Alexander spent three weeks with the Seattle Seahawks over training camp but was released Aug. 11.

Pearl (6-6, 325) went undrafted last year and was cut at the end of the Baltimore Ravens’ training camp. He spent a month on the practice squad of the Minnesota Vikings and had been with the Cleveland Browns from December through Aug. 4, when he was waived.

Pearl was a two-year starting left tackle in college at Illinois.

The Steelers’ corresponding roster moves involved releasing defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko, receiver Roc Taylor and linebacker Devin Harper.

Fehoko spent parts of the past two years on the Steelers’ offseason/camp rosters and practice squad and had been brought back Aug. 2. Taylor is an undrafted rookie receiver from Memphis. Harper has 12 regular-season games of NFL experience.