The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the start of the season without one of the key pieces in the back end of their defense.
Safety DeShon Elliott has been placed on IR, which means he’ll be out for at least the first four games of the year. Pittsburgh is already dealing with a secondary that doesn’t have much room for error, and losing Elliott only tightens the squeeze.
Elliott’s path back to this point wasn’t easy. He suffered a significant leg injury in Week 8 against the Packers and missed the rest of the 2025 season. He worked his way back during training camp and got back into live action against the Jets on August 21, but he did not play against the Bills on Thursday.
Last season was a short one for Elliott. Injuries limited him to five games, and he finished with 38 tackles, one sack, and one interception. Even with that injury history, the Steelers showed faith in him in June of 2025, when he signed a two-year extension that runs through 2027.
Now Pittsburgh has to patch things together without him. The team signed veteran Jaquan Brisker in the offseason and has also used Jalen Ramsey at safety at times to help cover the gap.
Seventh-round pick Robert Spears-Jennings made the initial 53-man roster, and veteran Rayshawn Jenkins is expected to have a major role while Elliott is out. The Steelers list Ramsey as a nickel corner, though he has played some safety in Mike Tomlin’s defense.
The timing makes the loss even more noticeable. The Atlanta Falcons come to Acrisure Stadium for the season opener on September 13, two weeks away.
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Mike McCarthy said Elliott has made progress, but the soreness he felt after a preseason game was enough to push the team toward caution. Pittsburgh now has three other safeties on the roster to lean on in the meantime, and Elliott is not expected to be eligible to return until Oct. 11 against the Indianapolis Colts, giving the Steelers at least a short-term depth problem to sort out on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
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For now, though, Porter remains unsigned while the cornerback market keeps moving around him, and Pittsburgh is in no rush to change its approach. The club still holds plenty of leverage in the talks, including the option to use the franchise tag next offseason, which gives the Steelers time even if the sides do not find common ground anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]