Jones most surprising of Steelers’ cuts
Joshua Dobbs pulled the upset over Landry Jones for the job as Ben Roethlisberger’s primary backup, and Dobbs probably did it with his performance in the final preseason game.
Dobbs quarterbacked the Steelers to 17 points in four possessions Thursday against the Carolina Panthers by throwing for a touchdown, running for another and compiling a passer rating of 137.1.
It gave Dobbs a preseason passer rating of 112.0, and in the last quarter century the Steelers had cut only one quarterback with a preseason passer rating of 100+.
But now Jerrod Johnson (2013) is joined by Jones, the sixth-year veteran who compiled a 100.5 rating this preseason.
Jones was cut Saturday, along with the following as the Steelers got down to 54 players (Le’Veon Bell won’t become official until next Saturday):
DBs Nat Berhe, Brian Allen, Dashaun Phillips, Malik Reaves, Jamar Summers.
LBs Keon Adams, Matt Galambos, Farrington Huguenin.
DL Parker Cothren, Joshua Frazier, Greg Gilmore, Lavon Hooks, Casey Sayles, Kendal Vickers.
OL Larson Graham, Patrick Morris, Oni Omoile, R.J. Prince, Jake Rodgers, Chris Schleuger.
TEs Bucky Hodges, Pharoah McKever, Christian Scotland-Williamson.
WRs Trey Griffey, Quadree Henderson, Tevin Jones.
RBs Jarvion Franklin, James Summers, Fitzgerald Toussaint.
P Matt Wile.
Waived injured were WRs Damoun Patterson and Marcus Tucker, OL Joseph Cheek, safety Malik Golden and LB Keith Kelsey.
The only draft pick cut was Frazier, the seventh-rounder, as the Steelers kept Terrell Edmunds, James Washington, Chukwuma Okorafor, Mason Rudolph, Jaylen Samuels and Marcus Allen.
The Steelers also kept undrafted rookie linebackers Matthew Thomas, who led the Steelers with 25 preseason tackles, and Ola Adeniyi, who led them with three sacks, two of which created turnovers.
The Steelers also placed Eli Rogers on the PUP list, where he’ll have to remain at least six weeks, and will have a one-game suspension upon reactivation.
All those cut who clear waivers, except for Jones, Berhe, Toussaint and Phillips, are eligible for the practice squad.
The Steelers roster:
QB: Roethlisberger, Dobbs, Rudolph.
RB: Bell, Conner, Ridley, Nix, Samuels.
WR: Brown, Smith-Schuster, Hunter, Washington, Heyward-Bey, Switzer.
TE: McDonald, James, Grimble.
OL: Villanueva, Foster, Finney, Pouncey, DeCastro, Gilbert, Okorafor, Feiler, Banner.
DL: Heyward, Hargrave, Tuitt, Walton, McCullers, Alualu.
ILB: Williams, Bostic, Matakevich, Thomas, Fort.
OLB: Watt, Dupree, Adeniyi, Chickillo.
CB: Burns, Haden, Hilton, Sutton, Sensabaugh.
S: Davis, Burnett, Edmunds, Dangerfield, M. Allen.
ST: Boswell, Berry, Canaday.