The Pittsburgh Steelers have been bit by the injury bug as all teams around the league are dealing with the attrition that comes with an NFL season. DeShon Elliott went down with a knee injury during Pittsburgh's Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers, which is a huge blow for the defense as he is seen as one of the leaders of the unit. He is considered week-to-week after hyperextending his knee, but Pittsburgh will need to find a way to replace him for the time being.
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Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (25) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke to the media on Tuesday and shared that the team was working out safeties Eddie Jackson and Vonn Bell and that a signing was possible, only the signing Pittsburgh made was not either of those players. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday that Pittsburgh is signing safety Darrick Forrest to its practice squad.
Former Commanders safety Darrick Forest is signing with the Steelers practice squad, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 28, 2025
Forrest has played in 40 career games (17 starts). Some depth amidst injuries on the back end. pic.twitter.com/fH3ExZumDA
Forrest has spent the majority of his career with the Washington Commanders as he was drafted by the team in 2021, but he has struggled to stay on a roster in 2025. He has spent time with the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts, and now he is in Pittsburgh to provide some depth at safety.
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Steelers' Darrick Forrest during his time with the Washington Commanders during a road game in Baltimore.
Forrest has a decent amount of experience as he has played in 40 games over his career while starting 17 of them. He has tallied a total of 137 tackles and four interceptions, and he has shown he can produce at the safety spot. He will start out on the practice squad for the Steelers, but he could be elevated to add some depth to the game day roster while Elliott is out with his knee injury.
The addition of Forrest to the practice squad probably does not eliminate the possibility of the organization signing either Jackson or Bell, as both of those players have tons of more experience and production over their careers. Pittsburgh needs to try a lot of different things to fix this defense that has been struggling over the last several weeks while also combatting injuries. It is hard to tell if anything is going to improve in the near future as it is going to be an uphill battle.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin during a win over the New England Patriots during Week 3 of the 2025 season in Foxborough, MA.
Forrest is younger player as he is only 26-years old, and he might find a way to stick in Pittsburgh. It is an interesting signing that could prove to be fruitful, but only time will tell.
What do you think about the Steelers bringing in Forrest? Let us know in the comments below!
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