Pittsburgh, PA (My Sportsbook) - Cornerback Anthony Madison and linebacker Bruce Davis were among 21 players released by the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, as the team reduced its roster to 53 players.

Madison, a reserve defensive back and special teams contributor who played in each of the team's 16 regular season games a year ago, could not crack a defensive back rotation that had added rookies Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett via the draft. The former undrafted free agent out of Alabama played in 38 games as a member of the Steelers since coming into the league in 2006.

Davis, a third-round choice out of UCLA in the 2008 draft, was never able to make much of an impact since becoming a Steeler. He played in only five games as a rookie, starting none, and was not in the team's plans on either special teams or defense.

Also released on Saturday were wide receiver Dallas Baker, offensive lineman Jason Capizzi, kicker Piotr Czech, fullback Carey Davis, wide receiver Tyler Grisham, defensive lineman Sonny Harris, linebacker Tom Korte, defensive back Roy Lewis, defensive lineman Steve McClendon, offensive lineman Jeremy Parquet, defensive lineman Scott Paxson, running back Isaac Redman, quarterback Mike Reilly, linebacker Andy Schantz, tight end Dezmond Sherrod, offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley, running back Justin Vincent, wide receiver Brandon Williams, and linebacker Donovan Woods.

Notables among that group include Baker, who appeared in eight games as a special-teamer last season; Davis, who played in 14 games in '08 but was beaten out by fifth-round rookie Frank Summers; Parquet, who played in four games during the 2008 campaign, and Shipley, the club's seventh-round pick out of Penn State in the 2009 draft.

In another move, the team placed veteran tight end Sean McHugh on season- ending injured reserve with a knee injury suffered in training camp.

The Steelers will open the regular season this Thursday, when they host the Tennessee Titans to begin the NFL's kickoff weekend.