The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy making moves heading into Week 5 of the 2026 season. General Manager Omar Khan has not sat on his hands as depth throughout the roster has been questioned, most notably in the secondary. With the injury to cornerback Jamel Dean likely keeping him out for a few games, and the fact that the organization recently decided to trade Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys, Khan went out and signed Sean Murphy-Bunting on Monday and then made some more additions on Tuesday.
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Steelers' Omar Khan in Latrobe at training camp ahead of the 2026 season.
The team also signed defensive end KJ Henry on Tuesday. Henry is likely going to be put on the practice squad, but Khan made another move on Tuesday as he signed cornerback Terell Smith. Smith was most recently on the practice squad of the Washington Commanders, and that is where the Steelers poached him from. The news was reported by Nick Farabaugh on Tuesday.
"The Pittsburgh Steelers have poached cornerback Terell Smith off the Washington Commanders practice squad," Farabaugh wrote. "Smith was spotted in the Steelers’ locker room on Tuesday with a locker. Pittsburgh will have to keep Smith on the 53-man roster for at least three weeks."
Smith was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he spent three seasons on the active roster in Chicago. He was waived during final roster cuts ahead of the 2026 season, and he eventually signed to the Commanders' practice squad.
Bob Kupbens / Imagn Images
Former Chicago Bears cornerback Terell Smith (32) runs onto the field before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.
The interesting part of this signing is that the Steelers do not even have the choice to put him on the practice squad. Since the team stole him from another team's practice squad, Smith has to be on the active roster for at least three games. That can be taken a lot of ways, and it probably means that Dean's sprained ankle might keep him out longer than some may think.
The franchise also probably doesn't have a ton of trust in the cornerbacks that are currently available to play on the outside. Asante Samuel Jr. is shaky at times and he doesn't have the frame or size to cover any receiver that might be on the field. Daylen Everette has impressed through the first four games of his career, but by no means should he be considered a reliable starter at this stage of his rookie season. Murphy-Bunting and Smith provide some veteran experience behind those two in case the Steelers need to lean on that at some point. Brandin Echols will also be relied upon as he is one of the more versatile players in Pittsburgh's defensive backfield.
Steelers Gain Some Experience By Signing Terell Smith
Smith has played in 26 games throughout his NFL career, but he hasn't appeared on the field since the 2024 season. He missed the entire 2025 season with a torn patellar tendon in his knee, so he hasn't played since Week 18 of the 2024 season. He was never really a starter with the Bears as he only started six games for Chicago, but he did see the field a decent amount. In two seasons and 26 games in total he recorded nearly 70 total tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 10 pass breakups and a pick.
He was a productive player when he saw the field for Chicago, and now he will have a chance to get his career back on track in Pittsburgh. He is likely motivated after losing a season due to injury and then being cut by the franchise that drafted him, so he could end up making an impact for Pittsburgh with the injuries in the secondary and the fact that he has to be on the active roster. It will be interesting to see if he gets a helmet on gameday.
What do you think about the Pittsburgh Steelers signing Terell Smith off of Washington's practice squad? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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