Steelers Sign Former 49ers Camp Darling

The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding another veteran defensive player to their practice squad.

Ahead of their Week 5 game against the Indianapolis Colts, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo has reported that the Steelers have signed defensive end KJ Henry.

The #Steelers are signing DE KJ Henry to the practice squad after his workout yesterday. Henry was impressing with the #49ers in camp before an injury cut his summer short. pic.twitter.com/woTSL0PE4w
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 6, 2026

As Garafolo noted, Henry was a training camp standout for the San Francisco 49ers before being waived with an injury settlement on August 18.

This won't be Henry's first stint with the Steelers. It'll be his third in fact, as he first signed to the team's practice squad last October before being cut in early November.

Pittsburgh later signed Henry to a reserve/futures contract in January, though he was waived about a month before training camp began in late June.

A fifth-round pick by the Washington Commanders in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Clemson, Henry has also spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns in addition to the Steelers and 49ers.

The 27-year-old has played in a total of 15 regular season games, including one for the Browns in 2025.

Over that span, Henry has logged 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders defensive end KJ Henry (55) in action during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Steelers Making Moves on Defense

After giving up 27 points and 372 yards on offense to the Browns in a three-point loss on Thursday Night Football, Pittsburgh is shuffling the deck just a bit on defense before it takes on the Colts.

The most consequential move the organization has made up to this point is signing veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad.

The 29-year-old did not play in 2025 while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered during the offseason, though he does have 65 starts and 11 interceptions under his belt.

With Jamel Dean expected to miss some time due to an ankle injury he suffered vs. Cleveland, Murphy-Bunting offers proven depth at corner for a Steelers team that desperately needs it, especially after trading Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys last week.

Doneiko Slaughter, who initially took Porter Jr.'s spot on the 53-man roster, was waived in order to make room for Murphy-Bunting.

Alongside the addition of Henry to the practice squad, the Steelers brought in former New England Patriots and Houston Texans linebacker Marte Mapu as a hybrid defender who can also help out on special teams if called upon.

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