Steelers Cut Former Penn State Star Before Camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers are parting ways with a local product in the secondary.

Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Daequan Hardy (25) lines up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers are parting ways with a defensive back who was college teammates at Penn State with Joey Porter Jr., Jaquan Brisker and Pat Freiermuth.

A little under two weeks before OTAs are set to begin on May 18, the Steelers waived/injured Daequan Hardy. KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson was the first to report the news.

#Steelers waived injured Daequan Hardy

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 5, 2026

Hardy and Pittsburgh could potentially come to terms on an injury settlement if he clears waivers.

Hardy's Time with the Steelers

A sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 NFL Draft, Hardy was released at final roster cuts as a rookie and later re-signed to the team's practice squad after going unclaimed off waivers.

He signed a reserve/futures contract with the Bills in January 2025 and was once again cut ahead of the regular season before joining their practice squad on August 27 and being released a day later.

Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back La'Mical Perine (38) runs the ball against Buffalo Bills cornerback Daequan Hardy (25) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Buffalo won 9-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Hardy, a Pittsburgh native, went unsigned before the Steelers swooped in and signed him to their practice squad on November 4.

The team cut him a few weeks later on November 25, though they brought him back on December 2 and also signed him to a futures deal back in January before his most recent release.

Steelers DB Depth Chart

Pittsburgh's secondary, which was inconsistent in 2025, has a few new faces that should help elevate the defense as a whole this upcoming season.

The team signed cornerback Jamel Dean to a three-year, $36.75 million deal in free agency, and he'll start opposite Porter Jr. on the boundary while forming one of the better duos at the position across the entire league.

Third-round pick Daylen Everette, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandin Echols and Cory Trice Jr. are the top depth options behind that tandem.

Jalen Ramsey should handle a majority of the duties from the slot, though Echols should factor into that equation to some extent as well.

Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Deshon Elliott (25) reacts after an interception on a pass thrown by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) during the second quarter during an NFL International Series game at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

At safety, the Steelers are set to welcome back DeShon Elliott after he played in just five games last year to two separate knee injuries.

Brisker, who is also from Pittsburgh, will also get starting snaps at the position after agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the team in free agency.

The Steelers have not yet officially come to terms with Darnell Savage Jr., but the expectation remains that he'll eventually end up as the top backup at safety.

Sebastian Castro and seventh-rounder Robert Spears-Jennings round out the depth chart at the position.

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