Steelers Cut Veteran Safety Rayshawn Jenkins Days Before Paris Clash With Saints

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a notable roster move on Wednesday, releasing veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins just days before the team's Week 7 matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Paris. Jenkins, 32, joined the Steelers in August amid uncertainty at the safety position and appeared in six games with one start this season, recording 16 combined tackles. The move may be about more than the numbers suggest. With the international game days away, Pittsburgh appears to be readying the roster for the return of a standout defender from injured reserve, though the team has not confirmed who that player is. Jenkins is in his tenth NFL season after being drafted by the Chargers in 2017. Over 145 career games and 93 starts with the Chargers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Browns, and now Steelers, he has totaled 578 combined tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 34 passes defended, and 11 interceptions — production that should make him an attractive depth option for safety-needy teams. The release comes at an awkward moment for a Steelers secondary already dealing with injuries ahead of the Paris game, including defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day being held out of Wednesday's practice with a triceps injury. Pittsburgh will need its remaining defensive backs healthy and ready when the Steelers face the Saints in France.