Mike McCarthy Explains Steelers Surprising Roster Cut

From the outside, the safety position remains in question, but Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy seemed enthusiastic about the opportunity this situation creates.

Oct 19, 2025; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) gets in position before a play against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH -- One of the most surprising developments from the first week of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp was the sudden release of veteran safety Darnell Savage. The team waited nearly two months for the former first-round pick to officially become a member of the organization, but they ultimately waited longer for him to sign than he was a member of the team.

With his release, the Steelers are once again down to just three safeties with NFL experience at training camp. The organization brought in Rayshawn Jenkins after the first week of camp concluded, and it briefly seemed that the safety position had been solved.

Instead, this group enters week two of camp with the same questions they began week one with. From the outside, the safety position remains in question, but head coach Mike McCarthy seemed enthusiastic about the opportunity this situation creates. He explained why the team released Savage and went in a new direction before the team began its second week of practices at St. Vincent's College.

"He came fighting back, you know, from his injury and so forth," he said. "And there's different types of things you look for as far as, not just on the defense, but on special teams. We gave him an opportunity, and we just felt that we wanted to move forward and give (Rayshawn) Jenkins an opportunity."

Oct 19, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins (5) reacts after intercepting a pass against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What This Means for Steelers

From McCarthy's response, a few things are clear. The first is that McCarthy is seeking a veteran third safety behind DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker. The second is that the fourth safety spot is up for grabs if one of the young players at camp can take advantage.

That points to players like Sebastian Castro and seventh-round draft pick Robert Spears-Jennings stepping into a huge opportunity. What McCarthy stressed, however, was how critical it was that the fourth safety contribute across all four downs and on special teams.

"You want to have as much flexibility within your scheme to utilize personnel," he said. "Because this game eventually comes down to matchups."

Need for Safety Help Remains

The Steelers are giving Jenkins the next chance, but if he struggles to fill the role McCarthy is seeking, there's no doubt he will be shown the door and another player will be signed in his place. Especially with Elliott's injury still progressing, and McCarthy himself admitting that the star safety is not yet 100%, the backup job feels more important than ever.

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