Steelers release safety Rayshawn Jenkins after six games

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Rayshawn Jenkins, No. 20, in a black-and-gold uniform during a game. — Pittsburgh Steelers

Summary

The Steelers released safety Rayshawn Jenkins on Oct. 21, according to the club’s announcement and transaction log.
Jenkins appeared in six games and started once after signing with Pittsburgh on Aug. 2; the team’s release notice lists 15 tackles.
The Steelers’ transaction log still listed DeShon Elliott on injured reserve, designated for return, after he resumed practice on Oct. 8.
The Steelers did not announce an injury reason for Jenkins’ release or say that Elliott’s return caused the move.

A confirmed release

The Pittsburgh Steelers released safety Rayshawn Jenkins on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The team’s short notice says simply that it released Jenkins, while the official transactions page records the move as “Released S Rayshawn Jenkins” on 10/21. Two independent Steelers-focused outlets, Steelers Now and Steelers Depot, also reported the release that afternoon. The action is therefore clear; the reason is not. The team’s announcement gives no explanation, so this should be read as a roster transaction rather than evidence of an injury, disciplinary issue, or a particular performance decision.^{[1] [2] [4] [5]}

Jenkins joined Pittsburgh in the offseason on a one-year contract, the club said when it announced his signing on Aug. 2. He appeared in six games this season and started once. The Steelers’ Oct. 21 release notice credits him with 15 tackles, including nine solo stops. Steelers Now and Behind the Steel Curtain also describe six appearances and one start; their coverage cites a 16-tackle total, so this article uses the team’s own figure rather than blending the differing stat lines. The move ends Jenkins’ short run with a team that had added him after releasing safety Darnell Savage. The Steelers say Jenkins was a fourth-round draft pick in 2017 and list previous stops with the Chargers, Jaguars, Seahawks, and Browns. Pittsburgh was his fifth NFL team.^{[1] [4] [6]}

Roster context, without a stated cause

The release removes Jenkins from Pittsburgh’s roster and leaves a spot available, but the Steelers did not announce a corresponding signing or promotion in the same notice. DeShon Elliott is relevant context at the position: the club’s transaction log says the safety returned to practice on Oct. 8 but remained on the Reserve/Injured, Designated for Return list. The team’s Week 7 injury report identifies Elliott’s knee as the issue and says no roster move had yet been made for him at the time of that report. Those facts show a safety returning to practice while Jenkins was released; they do not establish that the Steelers made the move specifically to activate Elliott.^{[2] [3]}

Steelers Depot and Steelers Now likewise noted Elliott’s return path while reporting Jenkins’ release. Both framed a possible connection as a likelihood or possibility, not as an announced team explanation. The distinction matters: a roster opening could be useful as Pittsburgh works through its options, but the official release notice does not name a successor, promise Elliott’s activation, or state that Jenkins was cut because of Elliott. As of the cited Oct. 21 transaction record, the confirmed news is limited to Jenkins’ release and Elliott’s continued reserve/injured designation.^{[1] [2] [4] [5]}

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