PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers will release veteran offensive tackle Joe Haeg as part of the team’s final four cuts to get under the 53-man roster limit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a report by Mike Garafalo of NFL Network.
Haeg is a vested veteran and does not need to clear waivers. His release could be temporary, as the Steelers can begin to add players to the injured reserve list after getting down to the 53-man limit.
Haeg has worked as the team’s top backup at offensive tackle throughout training camp and the preseason. He just returned to full practice participation on Tuesday after missing some time with a concussion.
The Steelers also released running back Anthony McFarland Jr. and cornerback Justin Layne after practice on Tuesday. The team needs to release one more player to get under the 53-man limit. The Steelers released 24 players earlier in the day on Tuesday.
Teams can begin to put players on the injured reserve list, re-fill their active rosters and fill their 16-man practice squads beginning on Tuesday.
Haeg had a two-year contract with the Steelers that was set to expire at the end of the 2022 season. His release will incur a $500,000 dead cap hit for the Steelers and they will save $2.1 million in salary obligation. If Haeg is re-signed, there will likely be no salary camp impact to having released him.