Steelers swing trades to address offensive line, outside linebacker, reduce roster to 53 players

On a day when the Pittsburgh Steelers reduced their roster to 53 players, they swung trades for an offensive lineman and outside linebacker, let go a pair of contributing linemen – one on each side of the ball — and cut five of their former draft picks.

Addressing the lack of depth behind starters T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, the Steelers acquired outside linebacker Malik Reed from the Denver Broncos. Then, they added veteran guard/tackle Jesse Davis from the Minnesota Vikings.

While Reed, who totaled 13 sacks over the previous two seasons, will be a backup, Davis could factor into a starting role somewhere on the offensive line.

In five seasons with the Miami Dolphins before he signed with Minnesota in March, Davis made 72 starts in 80 games and played every position but center. Most of his recent play was at right tackle, a position currently manned by Chuks Okorafor.

The Steelers could switch Okorafor to left tackle, where he played during most of the 2021 training camp, and send second-year tackle Dan Moore to the bench. Moore struggled in pass protection during the preseason, allowing a sack in all three games.

Despite his resume as a starter, Davis did not grade well in his final season with the Dolphins. He was responsible for eight sacks, 39 hurries and 57 pressures in 2021. He signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Vikings, receiving a $1.5 million signing bonus. The Steelers will be on the hook for the rest of the contract and gave up just a conditional seventh-round pick.

The other new face will be Reed, who was acquired in an exchange of late-round draft picks.

The Steelers will send a 2023 sixth-round pick to Denver in return for Reed and a seventh-round selection. Reed started 34 games in the past three seasons and totaled 15 sacks, including 13 over the past two seasons. He will slot in behind Watt and Highsmith as the top backup at outside linebacker.

“I’m familiar with his play, no doubt,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “I like his motor. He appears to be an attention-to-detail guy. He played bigger than his measurable. He’s got a nice, inside long arm. He’s capable of rushing from both sides. There is a lot that is attractive about his game.”

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Reed signed his restricted free-agent tender in April and will earn $2.443 million this season.

After cutting 24 players from the 80-man roster early in the afternoon, the Steelers trimmed five more players before the 4 p.m. deadline: inside linebacker Marcus Allen, running back Anthony McFarland, cornerback Justin Layne and offensive linemen Joe Haeg and Trent Scott.

Allen, McFarland and Layne joined inside linebacker Buddy Johnson and defensive lineman Carlos Davis as former Steelers draft picks who didn’t survive the purge to 53 players.

Layne, a third-round pick in 2019, was the highest Steelers draft pick to be waived. Johnson was a fourth-round pick last season, McFarland a fourth-rounder in 2020, Allen a fifth-round pick in 2018 and Davis a seventh-round selection in 2020.

Among the early round of cuts were defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux, who appeared in 26 games over the previous two seasons, and guard John Leglue, who started the final six games of the 2021 season.

Some of those players could return after clearing waivers. The Steelers can create openings on the 53-man roster by placing several players on injured reserve. Safety Damontae Kazee will head to injured reserve as a result of the arm injury he suffered Sunday against Detroit in the preseason finale. Other candidates to head to injured reserve are fullback Derek Watt, nose tackle Montravius Adams and rookie wide receiver Calvin Austin III.

Players on injured reserve must miss at least four weeks of games.

Among the defensive players cut were defensive backs Elijah Riley, Chris Steele and Linden Stephens; linebackers Ron’Dell Carter, Hamilcar Rashed, Delontae Scott and James Vaughters; and defensive linemen Donovan Jeter and Khalil Davis. Defensive back Carlins Platel was waived/injured.

Other offensive players released included linemen Will Dunkle, Adrian Ealy, Chaz Green and Ryan McCollum; running back Max Borghi; tight ends Kevin Rader and Jace Sternberger; and wide receivers Tyler Snead, Tyler Vaughns and Cody White.

Making the 53-man roster were seven wide receivers, including Miles Boykin and Steven Sims. The Steelers kept Benny Snell Jr. and undrafted free agent Jaylen Warren as the backups to starting running back Najee Harris.

The Steelers also kept every draft pick except seventh-rounder Chris Oladokun, who was waived last week. They also retained both players capable of playing fullback: Derek Watt and rookie Connor Heyward.