Le'Veon Bell's unsigned franchise-tag tender worked to the Steelers' disadvantage during training camp while the Pro Bowl running back stayed far away from his teammates and the practice field.

On Saturday, with Bell ready to get back to work, the Steelers used his tricky situation to their advantage when making final roster decisions.

Because Bell still had not signed his $12.12 million tender, the Steelers did not have to include him on the 53-man roster they submitted to the NFL by the 4 p.m. deadline. That bought the Steelers some time to ponder what to do with rookie cornerback Cameron Sutton, who likely is ticketed for injured reserve because of an aggravated hamstring injury.

Once Bell signs his tender, which is expected to happen by Monday's first practice in advance of the Sept. 10 season opener, the Steelers can place Sutton on IR or make another corresponding roster move.

The roster the Steelers submitted Saturday contained a few surprises:

• Omitted were blocking tight end David Johnson and long snapper Colin Holba, the rookie taken with a six-round pick in the draft. They were among the players cut. The Steelers will keep three tight ends (Jesse James, Xavier Grimble and newly acquired Vance McDonald), and Kameron Canaday, who has some NFL experience, will replace Holba.

• Rookie fifth-round pick Brian Allen made the team as one of seven cornerbacks, and third-string nose tackle Daniel McCullers was one of six defensive linemen kept.

• Nine offensive linemen were kept as the Steelers decided not to part with former fourth-round draft pick Jerald Hawkins or Matt Feiler, who was out of practice squad eligibility.

• Two starters from the 2016 season opener were gone as a result of trades that sent cornerback Ross Cockrell to the New York Giants and wide receiver Sammie Coates to the Cleveland Browns.

The roster also included no players with kickoff return experience from the four preseason games. The Steelers had five players attempt a combined 11 kickoff returns, and all were cut Saturday: running backs Knile Davis and Fitzgerald Toussaint, wide receivers Cobi Hamilton and Marcus Tucker and cornerback JaCorey Shepherd.

Running back Terrell Watson, the team's leading rusher in the preseason, could be used on kickoff returns unless the Steelers acquire one after nearly 1,200 players clear waivers Sunday, when teams also will set their 10-man practice squads.

Among the players cut Saturday was former second-round draft pick Senquez Golson, who never took a snap in a preseason game spanning three training camps because of injuries. Golson injured his hamstring during the first padded practice July 30 and never returned. Another former draft pick let go was wide receiver Demarcus Ayers, a 2016 seventh-rounder.

Golson was one of three players accounting for more than $1 million in salary-cap space ($1,091,194) shed by the Steelers, joining Johnson ($1,017,500) and Cockrell ($1,797,000). Factoring in displacement, the Steelers saved about $2.5 million in cap space with those moves, money that can be allocated for defensive end Stephon Tuitt's anticipated contract extension.

By releasing Davis and Toussaint, the Steelers will have no veteran players to back up Bell, who has played a full 16-game regular season just once in four seasons. Rookie third-round draft pick James Conner of Pitt and Watson will be Bell's backups.

At wide receiver, the Steelers kept veteran Darrius Heyward-Bey and former Tennessee second-round pick Justin Hunter as the fifth and sixth members. The depth also will be plentiful on the offensive line with four backups (B.J. Finney, Chris Hubbard, Hawkins and Feiler).

On defense, the Steelers elected to keep five outside linebackers, and L.J. Fort beat out the injured Steven Johnson for the fourth spot at inside linebacker.

Mike Hilton, added to the practice squad in December, was rewarded for a strong training camp by making the roster at cornerback. The Steelers also kept just four safeties despite Mike Mitchell's hamstring injury that has kept him out of practice since July 30 and Jordan Dangerfield's ankle injury suffered in the preseason finale.

Also released by the Steelers were: center Ruben Carter, offensive lineman Ethan Cooper, cornerback Brandon Dixon, center Kyle Friend, linebacker Matt Galambos, linebacker Austin Gearing, safety Malik Golden (waived/injured), safety Jacob Hagen, defensive end Lavon Hooks, quarterback Bart Houston, linebacker Farrington Huguenin, defensive end Francis Kallon, linebacker Keith Kelsey, defensive end Johnny Maxey, tight end Jake McGee, offensive tackle Brian Mihalik, offensive lineman Keavon Milton, cornerback Dashaun Phillips, defensive tackle Roy Philon, offensive tackle Jake Rodgers, wide receiver Justin Thomas, safety Terrish Webb and running back Trey Williams.

Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jrutter@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tribjoerutter.

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