Sep 2, 2017 By Jim Wexell for The 4 min read

The Steelers cut down to 53 players not named Le’Veon Bell this weekend, and in the process picked up a conditional draft pick and got back the sixth-round pick they had traded to Cleveland last year for Justin Gilbert.

The latter was the return on sending Sammie Coates and a seventh-round pick in 2019 to the Browns early Saturday.

The Steelers also traded last year’s starting left cornerback, Ross Cockrell, to the New York Giants for a conditional 2018 pick. Cockrell became expendable when the Steelers signed Joe Haden this week after he’d been released by Cleveland.

Included among the players the Steelers cut this weekend were: rookie long-snapper Colin Holba, WRs Demarcus Ayers and Cobi Hamilton, RBs Knile Davis and Fitzgerald Toussaint, cornerback Senquez Golson and tight end David Johnson.

The roster shakes out this way:

QUARTERBACK (3) — Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs.

It’s a strong group. Jones finally looked comfortable this preseason and Dobbs had a rousing finish.

RUNNING BACK (3n) — (Bell doesn’t count on 53), Terrell Watson, James Conner, Rosey Nix.

Note the order, my personal depth chart. Watson isn’t polished, but he’s a physical marvel. Conner has been sidelined about 90 percent of the time since draft day. He needs polish as well. Trey Williams would be my target for the practice squad.

WIDE RECEIVER (6) — Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Eli Rogers, Justin Hunter, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

When Dobbs threw that bomb to Hunter the other night, the happiest guy in the stadium might’ve been Roethlisberger, who clearly wanted Hunter. Getting Demarcus Ayers and/or Marcus Tucker for the practice squad is feasible.

TIGHT END (3) — Vance McDonald, Jesse James, Xavier Grimble.

Tough cutting D.J. The practice squad beckons Jake McGee.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9) — Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Marcus Gilbert, Chris Hubbard, B.J. Finney, Jerald Hawkins, Matt Feiler.

Feiler, the big man from Lancaster, makes it with a late push. Hawkins too good a tackle prospect to give up on.

DEFENSIVE LINE (6) — Cameron Heyward, Javon Hargrave, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu, L.T. Walton, Daniel McCullers.

Johnny Maxey loses out to McCullers despite being given every chance. Assume he’ll be back on the practice squad.

INSIDE LINEBACKER (4) — Ryan Shazier, Vince Williams, Tyler Matakevich, L.J. Fort.

Hope Matt Galambos kept the ball after the interception last game. Well done. He’s a practice squad candidate, along with Keith Kelsey.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5) — Bud Dupree, T.J. Watt, James Harrison, Anthony Chickillo, Arthur Moats.

Able to keep the energy-bringing Moats, who no doubt could’ve brought them a draft pick in return.

CORNERBACK (7) — Artie Burns, Haden, Will Gay, Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, Coty Sensabaugh, Brian Allen.

Cockrell was a class act who knew in the spring the team was looking to upgrade the position. Sensabaugh didn’t so much beat Cockrell out, but was a fresh face, while Haden takes over the starting job. Kudos to Hilton for playing well all spring, all summer and in every preseason game. Undrafted sub 5-9 CBs have to be that persistent.

SAFETY (4) — Mike Mitchell, Sean Davis, Rob Golden, Jordan Dangerfield.

The fact Gay can help this position out allows them to go with two injured players.

SPECIALISTS (3) — Chris Boswell, Jordan Berry, Kameron Canaday.

If you’re going to draft a long-snapper in the sixth round, you had better be right. Yikes. They were wrong with Colin Holba.