The Pittsburgh Steelers are only four games through the 2026 season, but it has been clear that some changes need to be made. There are some obvious areas of the roster that need an upgrade or some needed depth, and that is especially true after a pair of injuries that occurred during the team's Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Two starters went down on the defense as cornerback Jamel Dean sprained his ankle and will miss time and defensive tackle Derrick Harmon went down with a foot injury.
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Steelers cornerback Jamel Dean during a regular season game against the Falcons on September 13, 2026.
Dean's injury is not good for Pittsburgh, especially after everything that went down with Joey Porter Jr. before he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers were already thin at cornerback, but the injury to Dean makes matters worse. Both Asante Samuel Jr. and Daylen Everette have struggled at times during the first four games, so the state of the position is an obvious concern. The organization added some depth at cornerback by signing veteran Sean Murphy-Bunting off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad on Monday, and the news was initially reported by Tom Pelissero.
The Steelers are signing veteran CB Sean Murphy-Bunting off the Bucs' practice squad, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 5, 2026
Murphy-Bunting has played in 82 NFL games (65 starts) and has 11 career interceptions. Some experienced depth for Pittsburgh after the Joey Porter Jr. trade. pic.twitter.com/waUZp7F8Jg
Murphy-Bunting isn't a big name by any means, and that is evident by the way he was sitting on the practice squad of a team that is currently 0-4. However, he does have meaningful experience as he has played in 82 games during his career. He even has experience playing with Dean as the two spent time together in Tampa Bay and won Super Bowl LV.
Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images
Steelers' Sean Murphy-Bunting on the field during a home game during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Murphy-Bunting was originally drafted by Tampa Bay during the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has carved out a decent career for himself since then. He has played for the Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, and now the Steelers. He did not play during the 2025 season due to injury, but he has been a consistent starter in every other season of his career. He is probably motivated by the injury that has halted his career a bit, and that might mean he is looking to prove something in Pittsburgh.
The veteran cornerback has recorded 11 interceptions in his career, and he is also a decent tackler that has forced eight fumbles over that time. He is a well-rounded cornerback, and it will be interesting to see what he has left in the tank. He and Dean were both drafted in 2019 and played for four seasons together. Murphy-Bunting went on an infamous run during their trip to Super Bowl LV as he picked off three passes during the postseason, and he then started the Super Bowl and recorded six tackles and a pass deflection.
Steelers Will Probably Slowly Work Murphy-Bunting In
Murphy-Bunting being signed on Monday is a good thing as he will have the entire week of practice to work with the team. This may lead to him being active on Sunday for Pittsburgh's game against the Indianapolis Colts, which is needed considering the depth the Steelers have at cornerback right now. He will likely slowly work his way into some sort of rotation at cornerback, and he could see more playing time if either Samuel or Everette struggle.
This signing shouldn't move the needle for any fans, but it does show that the franchise recognizes the problem at cornerback. It is also probably a sign that Dean will miss more than one game, which certainly is not good news.
What do you think of the Steelers signing Murphy-Bunting? Do you think he will become a contributor on the defense? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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