Steelers secondary
Steelers secondary
Our final set of Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 training camp evaluations. We’ll end things examining the secondary. This breakdown considers all open camp practices and preseason action.
Asante Samuel Jr.
On the short list of best summer showings, Samuel sits at the very top. Winner of our best performance award, Samuel reminded why he was a starting-caliber cornerback before his 2024 neck injury. Healthy and able to focus fully on football instead of rehab like he did a year ago, Samuel took full advantage of Joey Porter Jr. sitting out due to a back injury/contract.
Samuel recorded multiple breakups throughout camp and challenged every throw. Whether it was against DK Metcalf, Pat Freiermuth, or someone else, Samuel made plays. His ball skills and ability to find and high point the football, despite not being the biggest corner, are remarkable and a true calling card. It’s fair to say his ball skills are better than anyone else on Pittsburgh’s roster; and it’s a pretty strong cornerback room.
Samuel carried that over into preseason action forcing multiple incompletions against the Green Bay Packers. New York Jets WR Garrett Wilson turned him around early in the second game, but cornerbacks aren’t going to stop every throw.
Per our charting, Samuel allowed just one catch on four targets.
His tackling wasn’t as tested during a training camp format that forbid it, but Samuel didn’t shy away from his reps either. He can close space on the edge and keep the back inside. Certainly, it isn’t his strong suit but there’s enough there to get by. Especially when his plays in coverage are so strong.
Even assuming Porter returns to start opposite Jamel Dean in Week 1, the Steelers must treat Samuel as more than a reserve waiting for an injury to happen. He’s too good to leave glued to the bench. Admittedly, it’s difficult to envision exactly what kind of role there will be. Perhaps Samuel rotates with Porter in Week 1 as Porter gets his football legs under him. Beyond that, there has to be a pass-down sub-package role. Samuel is an outside corner who doesn’t play in the slot, making the fit tougher, but he deserves to play.
Camp Grade: A
Robert Spears-Jennings
An awfully impressive summer for Spears-Jennings, who sure didn’t look like a seventh-round pick. A pile of injuries at safety afforded Spears-Jennings a ton of early reps. Especially after Darnell Savage quickly bowed out, Spears-Jennings spent most of camp running first-team opposite Jaquan Brisker.
He has the baseline traits you look for: size, speed (and closing speed), and hit power. His ability to close down space and hit people makes him a lot of fun to watch. In camp, you could sense his readiness to mix it up with an opponent. Our rookie evaluation one week into camp noted that. Here’s what we wrote on Aug. 5.
“He looks eager to hit and had he been permitted to tackle, could’ve dished out a few big hits already. When he drives downhill, he comes with plenty of size and has the bulk to make runners and receivers feel it.”
That proved true once Spears-Jennings stepped inside a stadium. He delivered hit after hit. In space, filling the alley, along the sidelines. He’s a smart player who takes proper inside/out angles and utilizes his leverage well. He finished the preseason with six tackles and one pass breakup.
On special teams, his speed at gunner forced a block-in-the-back against Green Bay that pinned the Packers deep in their territory. His overall usage there was less than expected, just 11 snaps on non-field goal units, but that’s likely due to the heavy number of defensive reps he logged – 100 snaps on the button.
He earned his spot on the 53-man roster. The next question will be if he has any gameday role. Even with thin safety depth, he may begin the year as a backup – or even inactive – as he still gets accustomed to the NFL. If there’s a negative, Spears-Jennings can be a little late with his eyes, look at him on the Bills’ end-around touchdown in the finale, and pressing a rookie into action in that much space needing that much trust is asking a lot. Still, there’s a lot to get excited about his future with the team. With an older safety group, Pittsburgh needs a young guy to feel optimistic about.
Camp Grade: A-
Rayshawn Jenkins
Like Chuck Clark last year, Jenkins was a mid-camp addition who made the 53-man roster. Jenkins earned his spot and looks like the better prospect of the two. He caught a moving train and quickly got up to speed. After Jaquan Brisker was nicked up mid-camp, Jenkins took first-team reps opposite rookie Robert Spears-Jennings.
Jenkins has a well-built frame and likes to hit. In the preseason, his impactful plays came at or behind the line of scrimmage. He finished the exhibition slate with only three tackles but chipped in a tackle for loss and pressure flying off the edge.
Jenkins scratches the team’s itch of veteran safety depth who can also play on special teams. With DeShon Elliott opening the season on injured reserve, Jenkins could be more than a reserve who may see defensive snaps out of the gate. It just depends on the team’s plan for Jalen Ramsey and how he’ll be used between slot corner and safety.
Camp Grade: B
Daylen Everette
Pittsburgh’s first defensive player drafted this year, Everette earned high marks in the spring and summer. I didn’t quite see the same amazing play in training camp others teased, but I know I can’t see everything in camp. Everette was competitive and aggressive even as he took early lumps. DK Metcalf Mossed him in the end zone to cap a two-minute drill despite Everette being blanketed on him.
Everette showcased his speed and ability to run with routes vertically. That was clear during training camp and preseason action. He can turn and run and carry routes in man coverage downfield.
Per our charting, Everette allowed three receptions on five total targets. As a run defender, Everette was solid and aggressive. He’s willing to come downhill and attack the run game.
An outside corner, he primarily played on the right side. In the preseason, 62 snaps on the right and 15 on the left. He didn’t align in the slot. He picked up a minor injury and missed the middle preseason game but returned for the finale.
Pittsburgh also asked him to play on special teams: 17 snaps in total with five on the field goal-rush team.
Overall, Everette had a serviceable first time through. Even with the week missed while nursing an injury, Everette logged a ton of reps and learned plenty of lessons. He won’t be counted on to play right away and could even begin the year inactive, but the Steelers are likely pleased with his first time through.
Camp Grade: B
Devan Boykin
Boykin opened the year way down the roster. He was 80-something if you were ranking the 91-man roster top to bottom. But he hung around on the roster long enough to have the door open once injuries mounted.
With a background at slot corner and safety, Boykin saw work at both early in camp. Reps were hard to come by but his versatility helped. Boykin didn’t make much splash in camp but came on stronger in preseason action.
In the opener, Boykin impressed with his run defense and instincts. He consistently flashed during the preseason and showed slot/safety flexibility, even playing both sports during the came. Per our charting, he allowed only 25 receiving yards on five targets. Boykin logged 78 snaps at safety and 36 more in the slot.
It felt like Boykin did enough to warrant a practice squad spot. Pittsburgh didn’t bring him back, and as of this writing, he hasn’t gotten a look elsewhere. A lack of size, speed, and special teams value are working against him, and perhaps I overlooked those factors too much in my evaluation of him. But from where he started as a guy who felt like he could get cut if the team needed help elsewhere, he finished in a respectable place.
Camp Grade: B
Brandin Echols
Echols had a fine start to camp and worked first-team slot with Jalen Ramsey on Active/PUP. He’s one of Pittsburgh’s shorter cornerbacks but plays big with good timing. For example, he forced an incompletion on a slot fade against DK Metcalf early in camp. To be sure, he gave up a couple as well, but he’s a feisty and aggressive player who strung together consistent days.
Echols went down with what looked like an ankle injury after landing awkwardly at the end of a 7 on 7 rep. He missed the final several days of camp and the first two preseason games. Pittsburgh gave him extra reps in the finale to make up for missed time, Echols logging 27 snaps. His lone target against fell incomplete.
Echols will open the year as a starting gunner opposite Ben Skowronek. His defensive role is uncertain. If Jalen Ramsey plays plenty in the slot, Echols will be a backup. If Ramsey covers the lack of depth at safety, Echols could start at nickel.
Camp Grade: B
D’Shawn Jamison
Jamison returned as someone with a little momentum to build on. He appeared in multiple games last year for the Steelers and flashed on special teams, including a key forced fair catch as a gunner in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens. Jamison continued to work on special teams throughout training camp and made an impressive open field tackle in the preseason finale against the Bills.
In camp and the preseason, he showcased versatility by playing slot and wide corner. Per our charting, Jamison logged 56 snaps on the outside and 24 in the slot. Lines got thin at slot corner with Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., Brandin Echols, and Donte Kent dealing with injuries and like last year, Jamison benefitted.
His finale had its ups and down. A great downfield breakup but allowing a completion on a crosser after Jamison lost his balance and stumbled at the catch point. It still felt like Jamison had done enough to land on the practice squad, his speed and special teams ability plus his versatility are all valuable, but the Steelers didn’t sign him to their practice squad. He recently inked with the Arizona Cardinals’ taxi squad instead.
Camp Grade: B-
Jamel Dean
Dean took social media heat for allowing a couple of grabs against DK Metcalf. Some were good plays by receivers, others a product of the defense unable to truly challenge the ball during the first four pad-less practices. It wasn’t a great start, especially as Asante Samuel Jr. shined from the jump, but hardly worth the freakout I saw.
Dean got better from there. His biggest moment came during the night practice, undercutting a route on the very first 11-on-11 play to pick-six Aaron Rodgers down the sideline. A monster defensive celebration ensued.
Rodgers had his wins against Dean too, like somehow bending a pass around him underneath the uprights on a touchdown to Roman Wilson, but Dean made a couple of plays. Dean participated in the first two preseason games with 31 reps. We didn’t chart him for a target against. What’s notable is Dean continued his career history of playing only on the right side, something that held true in camp and stadium action.
Dean will start on the right side in Week 1. His goal will be continuing to play near his excellent 2025 level and stay healthy wire to wire. Something he hasn’t done before.
Camp Grade: B-
DeShon Elliott
Coming off a severe 2025 knee/leg injury that was probably even worse than he or the team let on, Pittsburgh eased Elliott into action. He dressed for every practice but was held out of initial team drills. He slowly mixed his way into team drills. First the lighter periods before joining the higher-intensity sessions late in camp. He threw his body around and looked eager to hit again. As GM Omar Khan noted, Elliott only knows one speed and one way to play.
Elliott made his preseason debut in the second week against the New York Jets. He ripped the ball out to force a fumble that Pittsburgh unfortunately couldn’t recover. Still, it was peak Elliott recognizing LB Patrick Queen holding up the runner and Elliott going for the ball.
Elliott didn’t come out of the game clean and missed the following practice. Pittsburgh placed him on injured reserve to begin the year. Omar Khan claimed it wasn’t a setback and the team is simply being cautious but clearly something unexpected happened from the Jets game on. Maybe it wasn’t a true aggravation but Elliott’s body, especially knowing his hard-charging playing style, wasn’t ready for the start of the year. Like last year, Pittsburgh will miss him.
Camp Grade: B-
Doneiko Slaughter
Slaughter played very similar to our pre-draft scouting report. There’s no question about his physicality. Slaughter plays hard and hits that way, too. He delivered some big blows in the opener against Green Bay, breaking up one pass. He’s an eager run defender who threw his weight around.
Slaughter also showcased versatility by playing inside/out. He logged 71 outside reps and 33 in the slot. According to our charting, he was targeting nine times. Slaughter gave up six catches for 60 yards, five of which moved the sticks. That’s where Slaughter loses some luster. He’s tight-hipped and struggles to change direction. Even on Buffalo WR Skyler Bell’s end-around touchdown, Slaughter stumbled as he tried to change directions that allowed Bell the corner to score.
Skyler Bell turns on the burners for a 28-yard TD!
PITvsBUF on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/OD3Acw3XT2
— NFL (@NFL) August 28, 2026
Overall, Slaughter’s game runs hot and cold. Some strong reps with others that exposed his weaknesses. He made the practice squad and deserved the spot but still seems like a fringe player with that tightness.
Camp Grade: C+
Sebastian Castro
Castro entered camp with high hopes after making a roster push last summer, sticking to the practice squad and getting elevated to the roster after Miles Killebrew’s season-ending injury. His second lap with the team didn’t take that jump.
As a rookie, Castro saw training camp and preseason action as the team’s personal protector. He didn’t receive a look there this year as Travis Homer, Eli Heidenreich, and Jack Henderson picked up most of the action there instead. His preseason play was inoffensive but hardly notable, and his name rarely came up in my notes or conversation.
Castro’s most notable play occurred early in training camp, picking off a Will Howard pass that was thrown between a host of defensive jerseys. He finished the preseason with just four tackles, three of which were assisted, and he sat out the finale after reportedly suffering a lower-leg injury that left him in a walking boot. Still, his special teams background gave him the nod over Henderson and any outside competition, and he earned a practice squad spot. One injury to a special teamer could get him another midseason look.
Camp Grade: C
Jack Henderson
I pointed to Henderson as a potential training camp sleeper. That never materialized. Henderson made a little noise during preseason action with a handful of solid defensive plays near the line of scrimmage. Getting off the bus, he looks impressive with excellent size. Frankly, he looks more linebacker than defensive back.
Henderson is eager to hit with the frame to support it, but he missed too many tackles. Especially on special teams. Per our Josh Carney, Henderson missed three tackles this preseason. Two came while covering punts. One of which contributed to a sizeable runback by the New York Jets. He finished with six total tackles, giving him a miss rate that’s far higher than acceptable.
I thought Henderson still had a late bid for a practice squad spot, especially for seeing action as second-team personal protector, but he lost out to Sebastian Castro despite Castro being injured and unable to play in the preseason finale. Says a lot about the Steelers’ thoughts on Henderson, who simply wasn’t reliable enough for Danny Crossman to stick in any capacity.
Camp Grade: C-
Daryl Porter
Porter made noise a summer ago as a mid-camp add who stuck to the practice squad and even made his regular-season debut late in the season. He couldn’t recreate that this year.
Even with cornerback lines thinning out throughout camp, Porter didn’t do much with extra opportunities. There may not have been any outwardly negative moment but hardly anything positive either. In the opener, he bafflingly didn’t tag a Packers receiver down to the ground and a teammate had to cover. A mistake that didn’t cost the defense but was a weird mental mistake for someone who has been out of college two years.
Porter split time evenly on the left and right side throughout the preseason. Per our charting, he allowed four completions on six targets. They were mostly short and totaled only 20 yards. Porter kept the ball in front of him but didn’t stand out enough on defense or special teams (he logged just 13 special teams snaps on non-field goal units) to stick as Pittsburgh assembled its 17-man practice squad.
Camp Grade: C-
Tamon Lynum
Lynum had the look of a Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback but he didn’t have the play. His camp was generally quiet and he saw third/fourth-team reps throughout the summer. His tall and long build made him an interesting player as did his college reputation as a hitter. That wasn’t on display much during the preseason.
Lynum ended exhibition action with a rough outing in the finale. On special teams, he failed to block a Buffalo gunner. Kaden Wetjen eluded the free defender only for Lynum to run into him and prevent what could’ve been a decent return. Defensively, Lynum was flagged for a crucial pass interference on Buffalo’s final drive. After scoring, the Bills picked on Lynum for the game-winning two-point conversion.
Lynum was a no-brainer cut who stood little chance to make the practice squad over Pittsburgh’s bevy of options.
Camp Grade: D
Joey Porter Jr.
There’s equal parts nothing and everything to note about Porter’s summer. One spent on Active/PUP shortly after the Steelers reported to training camp until the team set its 53-man roster at the end of August. Porter diligently did his rehab each day and his back injury certainly didn’t seem limiting. Once, he even jumped into the air and didn’t look worse for wear.
He returned to practice this week and put on pads for the first time all summer during Thursday’s brief session.
Porter is still looking for a long-term deal. Whether or not he receives one remains an open question. Porter has hinted skipping Week 1 if no agreement is reached, but that feels unlikely. He’s just using whatever leverage can work for him and is taking a page out of Cam Heyward’s playbook from a year ago.
Regardless of whether he gets an extension, a big concern is all the time Porter has missed. He sat out the entire spring and summer and hasn’t played a game since the Steelers’ Wild Card loss in January. There’s a football conditioning aspect to overcome and fitting into a new system and scheme. Porter downplayed those concerns, but they’re valid to consider.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Jalen Ramsey
Like Porter, Ramsey spent all of training camp on Active/PUP after injuring his knee late in the spring. He was activated from the Active/PUP list after the team left Latrobe and set up shop in Pittsburgh. By the end of camp, Ramsey was at a near-sprint and looked healthy and ready to go.
Unfortunately, we missed the window to see how Ramsey will be utilized in Pittsburgh’s defense. If DC Patrick Graham plans to use him more often at slot corner or safety. It appears the team intends his work to come at corner more so than at safety, but we weren’t able to confirm. With safety depth thin after DeShon Elliott was placed on injured reserve, Ramsey might have to increase his reps at safety. It’s something we’ll be tracking once the season begins.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Donte Kent
Pittsburgh’s seventh-round pick in 2025, Kent spent the offseason and summer rehabbing from his 2025 torn ACL. He opened up training camp on Active/PUP and spent his time on the far field with the strength and conditioning staff. I was initially hopeful Kent would get activated from PUP during camp and by the end, he was working at a near-sprint. But he stayed on the list throughout and missed all three preseason games.
In an honest moment, the team would probably say Kent stayed on Active/PUP because he had missed too much time to be activated and make the 53-man roster, especially at a deep position like cornerback. Staying on Active/PUP allowed Kent to be transferred to Reserve/PUP where he’ll miss at least the first four games. New NFL rules allow him to practice as early as Week 3. It’s hard to know if Kent will have a window to return activated, and it could depend on how healthy the cornerback room is throughout the season.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Jaquan Brisker
Signed to a one-year deal in free agency, Brisker had a homecoming as a Pittsburgh native. He brought a ton of family members to one practice, the type of moment that can only be had in a “destination camp” like Latrobe.
Safety can be hard to evaluate with plays often made away from them. It was even tougher given that Brisker missed half of camp and the entire preseason. His injury was undisclosed but not overly serious, and he’s likely to play in the season opener. Brisker ran first-team in camp before getting dinged up.
The biggest impression with Brisker is how vocal and energetic he is. Brisker would let our a scream before the first team period of practice (excluding the walkthrough session). Brisker is a good tone setter and he should bring that to the team beginning Sept. 13 against the Atlanta Falcons.
Still, he wasn’t available enough to truly evaluate his game.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Ahmari Harvey
Harvey lasted only partway through training camp and struggled to get reps before his release. He worked as a fifth-string outside corner and hardly registered in my notes. At least, until the day he was released and a much taller man wearing Harvey’s No. 30 jersey showed up to camp. That was S Israel Mukuamu taking his roster spot.
Harvey latched on with the Miami Dolphins in their camp but was waived a short time later.
He earned an Honorable Mention for our “T-Shirt” award of Steelers who had short stays with the team.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Brandon Hill
Technically speaking, Hill was the final Steeler to be added to the offseason roster. He was signed Aug. 25, just two days before the team’s preseason finale. Impossible odds for a guy to try and stick. Hill saw 14 defensive snaps in the finale against Buffalo, rotating in at safety, and finished the game without a tackle.
Pittsburgh waived Hill at final cutdowns and did not re-sign him to its practice squad.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Israel Mukuamu
Mukuamu was one of two veteran safeties added mid-camp as Pittsburgh made more additions and changes here than any other defensive spot. With previous experience under Mike McCarthy and a unique body type as a tall and long safety, it felt like he had a chance to stick.
His play was inoffensive but hardly impactful. He played the Steelers’ final 11 defensive snaps in their preseason opener. Pittsburgh held a walkthrough practice its next camp session and Mukuamu was soon attended to by trainers, who examined his lower right leg (above the ankle but below the knee) and placed a wrap on it. It’s unclear if Mukuamu somehow got hurt during the individual portion or if it was a lingering ailment from the opener, as it was for WR/RET Kaden Wetjen.
Either way, Mukuamu failed to finish practice and showed frustration, slapping the helmet on his head as he walked off the field. He wouldn’t practice again. Pittsburgh released Mukuamu in late August with an injury settlement. He’s yet to catch on anywhere else but may still be subject to his settlement. He’s likely to hit the tryout circuit sometime during the season.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Darnell Savage
A weird offseason for Savage. In March, insiders reported that he and the team had agreed to a contract. For reasons unknown but presumably health-related, he didn’t sign his deal until June.
Thanks to Jalen Ramsey’s placement on Active/PUP and the Steelers easing DeShon Elliott into action, Savage entered camp as a starter opposite Jaquan Brisker. Pittsburgh quickly soured on the idea. He dressed but did not participate in the team’s walkthrough and was released on Aug. 2. Mike McCarthy danced around the reasoning, but it seems Savage simply didn’t look like the player Pittsburgh hoped he’d be. That tracks with his ugly 2025 tape that inspired no confidence.
Savage has yet to latch on elsewhere.
Still, it’s impossible to reliably assign a grade based on a handful of practices. All of which took place during the pad-less session.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Jaylon Guilbeau
One of the last players added to the roster, Guilbeau was signed days before the preseason finale. He got up to speed quickly enough to suit up in the Buffalo game, logging 15 snaps in it. Guilbeau allowed one catch for 5 yards. He was part of the first 11 players officially waived by the team ahead of Sunday’s cutdowns.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
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