(TNS) —In the end, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t choose between Skylar Thompson and Will Howard as the final quarterback on the 53-man roster.

They kept both, giving them four players at the position on the initial roster that was unveiled Tuesday afternoon.

The Steelers didn’t immediately place Howard on injured reserve, although he missed the entire preseason with a broken finger on his throwing hand. That injury allowed Thompson to overtake him for the No. 3 spot.

To get to the 53-man limit, the Steelers waived six players, waived/injured two, terminated the contracts of five others and placed cornerback Cory Trice Jr. on injured reserve.

All members of this year’s draft class made the initial roster, including defensive back Donte Kent, who didn’t play in the preseason because of an injury. The Steelers kept nine offensive linemen and eight defensive linemen.

Of the 48 players who were active for the January playoff loss in Baltimore, 22 no longer remain on the roster.

Among the players cut were West Virginia product Beanie Bishop, who won the starting slot cornerback job last season as an undrafted free agent, former third-round pick DeMarvin Leal and veteran wide receiver Robert Woods, who was signed in free agency.

Players placed on waivers were linebacker Eku Leota, defensive backs Bishop and Sebastian Castro, defensive end Leal, tackle Dylan Cook and wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams. Waived with an injury designation were defensive lineman Domenique Davis and wide receiver Brandon Johnson.

Vested veterans who had their contracts terminated were defensive backs Chuck Clark and James Pierre, guard/center Max Scharping, running back Trey Sermon and wide receiver Woods.

By being placed on injured reserve, Trice must miss the first four weeks of the regular season. Kent and Howard also are candidates to go to the IR list.

Bishop started six games in the slot as a rookie and appeared in all 17 games. He intercepted future teammate Aaron Rodgers twice in an October victory against the New York Jets, but he saw his playing time dwindle in the second half after cornerback Cam Sutton returned from a suspension. Bishop became expendable when the Steelers traded for Jalen Ramsey in June and signed Brandin Echols in free agency.

Bishop didn’t play in the preseason finale at Carolina, and coach Mike Tomlin was vague on whether Bishop was injured, referring to his status as “day-to-day.”

A day after the Steelers parted with seventh-round pick Mark Robinson, they waived another former draft pick in Leal, who never found a true position in three seasons with the team.

Drafted as a defensive lineman, Leal was tried at outside linebacker but never made an impact.

This offseason, Leal was trying to make the team after missing most of last season with a neck injury. He was injured in the fifth game of the season and spent the rest of the year on injured reserve.

Leal started six games in three seasons, making a career-high four starts with the Steelers in 2023. That was the year he recorded his lone NFL sack.

As a rookie, Leal had a career-high three pass breakups.

By releasing Leal and Robinson, the Steelers have only two remaining players from the 2022 draft class that was Kevin Colbert’s final one as general manager: wide receiver Calvin Austin III, a third-round pick, and tight end Connor Heyward, a sixth-round selection.

Woods, a veteran of 12 NFL seasons, was trying to make the roster after spending the past two seasons with the Houston Texans. He had just 20 catches for 203 yards in 2024 and had just one reception for 4 yards for the Steelers in the preseason.

Woods, who received a $745,000 signing bonus in free agency, was outplayed by Roman Wilson and veteran Scotty Miller. Ben Skowronek, an experienced special teams player, was kept as the No. 5 wide receiver.

Clark was an eighth-year veteran who had 75 career starts with the Ravens and Jets. He joined the Steelers early in training camp.

Pierre was a core special teams player for the Steelers the past two seasons. He made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and returned to the organization in 2024 after being cut by the Washington Commanders.

Cook made the 53-man roster in 2023 and was on IR and the practice squad last season.

Several of the players cut could return on the practice squad Wednesday.