The Steelers, like the other 31 teams in the NFL, trimmed their roster down to the league's 53-man limit by 4 p.m. Tuesday as the organization finalizes its preparation for the start of the 2024 season.

The biggest part of that process is the release of dozens of players as teams trimmed rosters from the 90 players that had participated in training camp, to the streamlined 53-man roster.

Overall, the Steelers' initial 53-man roster includes 22 players who were not on the active 53-man roster at some point in 2023.

Leading that makeover from a team that finished 10-7 is the quarterback room, where all three players are new to the team.

While some teams around the league decided to go with just two quarterbacks, the Steelers – as they always do – went with three, as Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen are all on the 53-man roster. All were acquired this offseason.

Rookie John Rhys Plumlee, who was the team's leading kick returner in the preseason, was among those released Tuesday, but could be a candidate to return on the practice squad.

That was just one of the big differences in the team's initial roster build from 2023.

The process of getting down to the roster limit also included some adjustments made under league rules that allowed for players to be placed on short-term injured reserve. The Steelers utilized that rule to place offensive tackle Dylan Cook and outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon on injured reserve with a designation to return at some point this season.

Per that rule, teams are permitted to utilize two of the eight designations to return on players placed on injured reserve at the cutdown deadline, meaning the Steelers can still use that designation six times during the regular season.

Cook and Moon must miss at least four games before being designated to return to practice. They then will have 21 days to participate in practice before the team makes a decision to place them on the active roster or have them revert to season-ending injured reserve.

Those two decisions seem to have affected the Steelers' roster build in terms of who made the initial 53-man roster.

With Moon designated to return, the Steelers went with just three true outside linebackers on their roster – T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. They did, however, utilize defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal as an outside linebacker during training camp and in the preseason, including starting him at outside linebacker in their preseason finale at Detroit.

Because of that dual usage of Leal, the team kept eight defensive linemen on its initial 53-man roster – Leal, Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk and rookie Logan Lee. Lee was a sixth-round pick in this year's draft.

That's up from the seven defensive linemen the Steelers kept heading into the 2023 season.

Another position at which the Steelers kept one more player than they did entering the 2023 season is at tight end, where Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward and MyCole Pruitt all made the roster.

Last season, the Steelers began the season with Freiermuth, Washington and Heyward at the position.

But with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's inclination toward multiple tight end sets, there could be plenty of playing time for all four, especially since the Steelers also released fullback Jack Colletto.

The team also kept just five cornerbacks and five wide receivers, both of which are one fewer than the team had on its initial 2023 roster.

That could suggest the team could look to add to both of those spots once they scour what's available, though, again, with Smith's desire to utilize more tight end packages, the need for six wide receivers is lessened.

The Steelers also added Cordarrelle Patterson this offseason. Patterson, now considered a running back as well as being one of the top kick return men in the league, came into the NFL as a wide receiver and has an extensive background at that position, as well.

Rookie Beanie Bishop is the leading candidate to be the nickel corner, though strong safety DeShon Elliott also has played in that spot throughout training camp and the preseason when the team goes to a three safety package with Damontae Kazee coming onto the field with Elliott and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The only 2024 draft pick to not make the initial roster is defensive back Ryan Watts, who showed promise in the preseason as a safety with some corner capability and as a gunner on punt coverage. Watts suffered an injury late in the fourth quarter of the team's preseason finale at Detroit and was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday.

With Watts done for the season, veteran Jalen Elliott made the roster as a safety and special teams player.

Two other rookies injured in the preseason were not placed on injured reserve, as first-round pick Troy Fautanu and third-round selection Roman Wilson both made the initial 53-man roster, meaning the team expects them back on the field sooner rather than later.

Fautanu played right tackle in the team's preseason opener, but suffered a sprained knee and has not practiced since, while Wilson, a wide receiver, suffered a sprained ankle at training camp and missed the entire preseason.

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Fellow rookie Payton Wilson, another third-round draft pick, also missed the preseason finale against the Lions after being evaluated for a concussion in the team's second preseason game against the Bills. But Wilson was one of five inside linebackers kept by the team, joining Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Tyler Matakevich and Mark Robinson.

That position also could be bolstered at some point by the return of Cole Holcomb. Holcomb, one of the team's starting inside linebackers, was placed on the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, meaning he is out at least the first four weeks of the season.

Holcomb has yet to return to practice since suffering a severe knee injury midway through last season, but could yet return this season and make inside linebacker perhaps the deepest position on the roster.