Steelers Release Four; Place Karl Joseph, Anthony Miller on IR

The Pittsburgh Steelers released four players and placed two more on the injured reserve list as the team got down to the 85-man roster limit ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.

Safety Karl Joseph and wide receiver Anthony Miller were placed on the injured reserve list. The Steelers released offensive linemen Jake Dixon and Chris Owens, defensive tackle Doug Costin and punter Cameron Nizialek.

Because Joseph and Miller were placed on the injured reserve list before the start of the season, they must remain on the injured reserve list for the remained of the year unless they reach an injury settlement with the team. Both players were playing under one-year contracts and will be free agents at the end of the 2022 season.

An undrafted free agent from Duquesne and Bethel Park, Dixon had worked at tackle and guard throughout training camp, almost exclusively with the third team. Owens, an undrafted free agent from Alabama listed as a center by the Steelers, primarily played third-team guard. Tackle Cody Tucker, guard Nate Gilliam and tackle Trent Scott remain on the third-string offensive line and will be joined by new singing William Dunkle.

Costin came to the Steelers after the start of training camp after having played in the USFL this spring. He made one tackle in the Steelers’ opening preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. With starters Tyson Alualu and Larry Ogunjobi returning to health, the Steelers had a ton of extra depth along the defensive line, though it’s notable that undrafted rookie Donovan Jeter beat out the veteran Costin through the first wave of cuts.

Nizialek, who joined the Steelers this spring as an undrafted free agent from Georgia, was unable to provide significant competition for Pressley Harvin III at punter. He had four punts with an average of 44.2 yards per kick and a net average of 37.5 against the Seahawks, with one touchback and one downed inside the 20-yard line.

The Steelers will play their second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday with an 85-man roster. After that, the team must make five more cuts next Tuesday, before the final cut-down on Aug. 30.