Steelers Release Veteran Safety Before Paris Game In Latest Shake-Up to Secondary originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The reshaping of the Steelers' secondary will continue into Week 7.
A few weeks after trading Joey Porter Jr. to the Cowboys, with safety DeShon Elliott likely to return from injury soon, Pittsburgh announced it is cutting ties with a veteran safety on Wednesday.
Rayshawn Jenkins will hit free agency after struggling with the Steelers over the first six games of the 2026 season.
Here's what to know about Jenkins' release and what it means moving forward.
Steelers Release Veteran Safety In Latest Shake-Up to Secondary
The Steelers announced the release of Jenkins on Wednesday after he played in all six games for the team so far, including one start.
However, for the most part, Jenkins — a 10-year veteran who has had stints with the Chargers, Jaguars, Seahawks and Browns — struggled to emerge as a starter despite his experience, with 562 total tackles, 11 interceptions, 5.5 sacks and 34 pass deflections in his career.
After starting all 17 games for the Browns last season, Jenkins landed with the Steelers in the offseason, but was quickly replaced by seventh-round rookie Robert Spear-Jennings in the starting lineup. Per Steelers Now, Jenkins was targeted five times before his release from Pittsburgh, allowing five completions for 120 yards, one touchdown and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
For the Steelers, the move likely indicates that they didn't have a need for Jenkins because Elliottt will return soon, out since October 2025 with hamstring/knee injuries. Elliott had a setback in the preseason and was unable to start the season for the Steelers.
Elliott's 21-day practice window was opened on Oct. 8, and head coach Mike McCarthy has remained hopeful that he'll be back on the field soon.
Whether Elliott will be ready for the Paris matchup against the Saints remains to be seen, but he's likely to return at some point soon.