One Roster Bubble Player Steelers Must Cut

With the roster cutdown deadline rapidly approaching, the Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of business to attend to.

Because they have solid depth at a majority of their position groups, the Steelers are going to have to release a number of viable players as they reach the 53-man roster limit.

In terms of the veterans on the bubble, however, defensive lineman Dean Lowry stands out as a player who Pittsburgh shouldn't have to think too long and hard about handing a roster spot.

Why the Steelers Should Cut Lowry

The interior of the defensive line is shaping up as one of the strongest areas on Pittsburgh's roster.

Cam Heyward is arguably one of the top five-to-seven players at the position across the league, Keeanu Benton was recently awarded with a four-year, $72 million extension and Derrick Harmon is looking to break out in his second season after a productive rookie campaign.

Furthermore, Yahya Black appears to be coming into his own as a run-stuffing nose tackle while free agent addition Sebastian Joseph-Day is versatile and stout against the run as well.

Since the Steelers are primed to keep four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, holding onto more than six interior defensive linemen isn't practical.

For all intents and purposes, it feels as though sixth-round rookie Gabriel Rubio has set himself apart from the pack for that sixth spot with a strong summer as a rotational run defender with an abundance of play strength.

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Dean Lowry (94) on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

As a result, Lowry has potentially fallen out of favor and could now find himself on the wrong side of the roster bubble.

The 32-year-old re-signed with Pittsburgh this offseason after suffering a season-ending ACL injury during training camp last year. Lowry's rebounded nicely and looked pretty good in his return all things considered, but if it comes down to releasing him or keeping him and thus taking away a spot from another position group, the answer should be pretty obvious.

Lowry's still got a bit of juice as a pass rusher and could help out on the Steelers' field goal/extra point unit on special teams, though he doesn't offer enough as a whole to rationalize retaining him, at least on the initial 53-man roster.

Lowry's Vested Veteran Status is a Benefit

Because Lowry, who's entering his 11th NFL season, is a vested veteran with four or more accrued campaigns under his belt, he wouldn't be subject to waivers if Pittsburgh does in fact cut him.

As a result, the team could place him on their practice squad seamlessly because another organization can't come in and claim him.

Lowry would still have the right to explore his options and seek out a 53-man roster spot elsewhere. Assuming nothing comes together in that regard, though, he'll almost certainly be on the Steelers' practice squad.

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