Coach Mike Tomlin said before the Carolina game that making moves is never easy, but it's a process that begins when the team plays their first preseason game and continues throughout, with it picking up even before the team landed back in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

"As we walk off the field – it's that level of urgency, and I can't stress that point enough," said Tomlin during a weekly Q & A with Bob Labriola before the game. "We walk off the field, it's all eyes on our regular season opener and putting ourselves in position to do what we need to do there. In some form or fashion, it's almost instant in terms of thinking about the things that need to be done and the process in terms of meeting and having necessary discussions about getting the team cut down.

"Sometimes the most significant decisions don't transpire until very late in the process. Oftentimes, you'll see teams cut down to 55 or 56 guys quickly. Friday in most instances. And they'll save four or five significant spots, and those are the decisions that may require more discussion or maybe surveying options relative to other cities and so forth. But that doesn't transpire on Friday. The things that are discussion-worthy and have that level of complexity occur later in the weekend."