Steelers sever ties with punter Cameron Johnston, cut linebacker Mark Robinson

An edge in experience and a multi-year contract weren’t enough for Cameron Johnston to keep his job as Pittsburgh Steelers’ punter.

The Steelers terminated the contract of Johnston on Monday as they made another round of roster reductions to get closer to the 53-man limit.

In addition to shedding Johnston’s contract, the Steelers cut 12 players, including former seventh-round draft pick Mark Robinson, a backup linebacker and core special teams player.

By releasing the 33-year-old Johnston, the Steelers will go with Corliss Waitman, 30, as their punter this season.

The Steelers signed Johnston to a three-year, $9 million contract in the 2024 offseason after severing ties with former punter Pressley Harvin III. Johnston, though, suffered a serious knee injury in the season opener and was sidelined for the rest of the season.

Johnston returned to health this offseason, but he was unable to unseat Waitman, his replacement for the rest of the 2024 season.

“I felt like I had a great camp,” Johnston said Saturday. “It’s great to be back out there post-injury. I felt like I improved every day.”

Johnston has seven years of NFL experience compared to three for Waitman.

Earlier in the day, coach Mike Tomlin was asked if the Steelers could not go wrong with the punter who survived the roster cuts.

“Certainly,” he said. “I felt that way at the beginning of the process.”

Players getting cut included kicker Ben Sauls, linebackers Julius Welschof and Robinson, defensive backs D’Shawn Jamison and Daryl Porter, defensive tackler Kyler Baugh, offensive linemen Steven Jones and Aiden Williams, running back Lew Nichols, tight end JJ Galbreath and wide receivers Max Hurleman and Lance McCutcheon.

The Steelers have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to set their initial 53-man roster.

Johnston punted six times in three preseason games and had a gross average of 42.3 yards and a net average of 35.8 yards. Waitman punted five times with a gross average of 53.2 yards and a net of 44.6. Johnston placed three punts inside the 20 compared to one for Waitman.

“It definitely pushes us every day, both of us punting like that,” Johnston said. “At the same time, you’re just working to get better yourself.”

The Steelers will incur a $1,916,667 cap hit in dead money against the salary cap by releasing Johnston with two years left on his deal, but they will save about $400,000 by switching punters. Johnston was scheduled to earn $2.5 million this year and $2.5 million in 2026.

Waitman will earn $1.1 million this season and be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

A converted running back, Robinson was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2022 draft and started two games at inside linebacker in each of his first two seasons with the team. He didn’t miss a game in each of the past two seasons, playing primarily on special teams. He logged two-thirds of all special teams snaps over the past two years.

Robinson’s release increases the chances of seventh-round pick Carson Bruener of making the 53-man roster. Bruener led all Steelers players with five special teams tackles, including three solo stops, in the preseason.

Sauls, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Pitt, was in camp to provide depth behind All-Pro kicker Chris Boswell. Sauls converted 5 of 6 field-goal attempts and all six extra-point tries.

His lone miss was from 43 yards against Tampa Bay in the second preseason game, but the Steelers were using a new long snapper in Logan Lee after starter Christian Kuntz sustained a chest injury. The laces were pointed in on the field-goal try, contributing to Sauls’ miss.

He rebounded in the preseason finale at Carolina by making all four attempts, including kicks of 49 and 50 yards.

“I’m lucky to be here because I’ve got veterans surrounding me,” Sauls said. “I have Christian, I have Boz who I can ask for advice, Cam and Corliss are great holders. To have that experience around me, I’m confident in the operation. I’m kicking the football like I have the past five years.”