The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the release of eight players on Sunday. In addition to moving third-year players James Washington and Jaylen Samuels to the reserve/Covid-19 list, that gave them 80 players on their offseason roster—the number that they would be required to reach by August 16.
It is also an important number to be at now, because it means that the Steelers will be able to practice altogether as a team. Per the terms of the CBA addendum, teams who choose to carry more than 80 players on their offseason roster prior to the mandatory cutdown date will be required to practice in split squads, who must practice at different times or at different facilities, using separate locker rooms.