Behind the Steel Curtain
After releasing veteran cornerback Darius Slay on Tuesday, the Steelers have bolstered their defensive back depth.
The team announced the signing of cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, as well as the signing of cornerback Daequan Hardy to the practice squad.
The team also released wide receiver Cornell Powell from the practice squad.
Samuel signed with the Steelers’ practice squad on Nov. 12. He was temporarily elevated to the active roster in Pittsburgh’s Sunday loss to the Bills, replacing James Pierre as a starting cornerback after Pierre was injured. Samuel played over Darius Slay, who was a healthy scratch against Buffalo before his release Tuesday.
Samuel played 28 defensive snaps and recorded three total tackles against Buffalo. Now, he finds himself officially signed to the Steelers’ roster.
Replacing Samuel on the practice squad will be Hardy, who had a short stint with Pittsburgh in November. Here’s what we wrote about him when he first signed:
Hardy was a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills out of Penn State. He’s yet to appear in an NFL game. As a Nittany Lion, he recorded 22 total tackles, two interceptions, and seven passes defensed in his final season. The 5’9, 178-pound cornerback ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
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