Steelers Cut 3 Players Unexpectedly After Week 8 Win: Report

Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers just made a few roster cuts as they head into their Week 9 bye.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are on to Week 9 and the bye, and it looks like they’re going to begin their time off with a few roster cuts.

“Steelers waived [outside linebacker] Adetokunbo Ogundeji from [the] 53[-man roster],” KPRC 2 NFL insider Aaron Wilson relayed on October 29. He added that the team has also “released [running back] La’Mical Perine and [defensive back] Thomas Graham from [the] practice squad.”

Ogundeji has seesawed on and off the active roster for most of the season, so he’s likely to return on a practice squad deal sometime this week. As for Perine and Graham, it’s possible that their time in Pittsburgh is done.

Perine is a former fourth-round selection of the New York Jets in 2020. He’s bounced around different practice squads since the 2021 campaign, briefly appearing in three games for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023 — registering 22 carries for 77 yards.

With the running back room finally getting healthy in Pittsburgh, there’s less of a need for Perine as a reserve.

Graham was in competition for the nickel CB role this summer, but eventually lost out to undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop — who has tallied 3 interceptions over the past two games. Graham is a former sixth-round selection of the Chicago Bears in 2021, and he’s appeared in 12 career regular season games including one with the Steelers in 2024.

Per Steelers Depot, veteran cornerback Cameron Sutton also “had his suspension lifted” on October 29, which explains the Ogundeji cut and Graham’s departure at cornerback. Sutton is expected to return after the Week 9 bye. He’ll join a strong CB room that includes Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Bishop, C.J. Henderson and James Pierre.

Steelers Granted ‘Roster Exemption’ for Returning CB Cameron Sutton

On October 29, Steelers Depot also noted that “the Commissioner has granted a roster exemption for Cameron Sutton” as he works his way back into football shape. This “roster exemption will expire on Monday, November 4,” meaning Sutton won’t technically cost the Steelers a 53-man roster spot until that date.

That leaves the door open for another addition or two over the course of the bye week, and with the NFL trade deadline set for November 5, Sutton’s exemption gives the Steelers some room to sniff around for a wide receiver.

“Steelers active roster now sits at 51 players with team getting exemption on Cameron Sutton,” Steelers Depot informed just after the cuts. “Sutton will obviously fill one of two open spots once exemption ends on Monday.”