The Pittsburgh Steelers won 26-19 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, pushing their record to four wins and two losses. But as the 2026 NFL trade deadline inches closer, the Steelers have made a change to their active roster ahead of their Week 7 international matchup by releasing one veteran defensive player who’d been struggling this season. 

According to a report published on the Steelers’ official website, the team has released veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins.

Jenkins entered the league in 2017, when he was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. Across 145 games, Jenkins recorded 11 interceptions for 148 yards. He stayed with the Chargers for four years before playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns, and the Seattle Seahawks.

The safety signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Pittsburgh this offseason in August after they released safety Darnell Savage. Although Jenkins appeared in all six games for the Steelers this season, his time on the field was significantly reduced with the team’s October 1 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Before the loss, Jenkins started Week 3 against the Bengals. Following that, Jenkins was limited to his reserve role off the bench in Week 4 and didn’t play any snaps in Weeks 5 and 6. The veteran safety had just 16 tackles in six games, ranking 97th out of 98 qualified safeties according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Releasing Jenkins has left the Steelers with an expensive $1.075 million cap hit and $1.3 million in dead cap value. However, rolling over a franchise-record $16.9 million in unused cap space from the 2025 season boosted their total 2026 team cap to $321.7 million, giving the team the flexibility needed to absorb Jenkins’ dead cap.

Additionally, the veteran player’s exit adds to the team’s $12.4 million hit, a result of trading safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and cutting tight end Jonnu Smith.  

While it is understandable why the Steelers front office decided to release the safety, Jenkins’ exit does create concerns about the team’s depth at safety, leaving seventh-round rookie Robert Spears-Jennings to man the deep secondary during the Steelers’ upcoming clash against the New Orleans Saints. 

But there is still hope, as DeShon Elliott, who is currently on Injured Reserve, is showing signs of a possible return.

Will Steelers Safety DeShon Elliott Play in Week 7?

Steelers safety DeShon Elliot sustained a severe knee and hamstring injury in Week 8 of the 2025 season, ending his year early. After undergoing surgery, Elliott underwent extensive rehab but remained on Injured Reserve with a designation for returning in 2026, missing the first six regular-season games. 

Now, the latest reports revealed that Elliott was a full participant during the Steelers’ Wednesday practice for the first time this season. The updates suggest that there is a possibility he may open the game as starting safety against the New Orleans Saints in Paris.

Elliott’s supposed return may have prompted the Steelers to release Jenkins. Despite playing just 77 games across his seven-year career in the league, Elliott has consistently been graded as a more reliable physical box and deep safety for Pittsburgh. 

The 2018 NFL Draft sixth-round Baltimore Ravens pick excels near the line of scrimmage, playing with a downhill, enforcer-style mentality that fits right into the Steelers’ playing style.

Elliott originally signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the franchise in 2024, which the team followed up with another two-year, $12.5 million extension in 2025. This is keeping him locked with the Steelers through the 2027 season.