Steelers All 90: CB Stephen Denmark
All 90 is a Pittsburgh Steelers Now series profiling each of the 90 members of the Steelers 2021 offseason roster.
38 • Stephen Denmark, first-year cornerback
6-foot-2, 217 pounds
Acquired: The Steelers signed Denmark to a reserve/future contract for the 2021 season on Dec. 1, 2020.
Last season: Spent the offseason with the Chicago Bears, but was released at the outset of training camp on Sept. 5. Denmark signed with the Bears practice squad, but was cut on Oct. 5. He signed to the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad on Nov. 10 and was released on Dec. 1.
Career: Denmark was drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Bears out of Valdosta State. He did not make the team as a rookie, but spent the entire 2019 season on Chicago’s practice squad before returning for 2020.
College: Spent his first three seasons as a wide receiver before converting to cornerback as a senior in 2018. He made 55 tackles and recorded three interceptions in his only season at the position while leading Valdosta State to a Division II National Championship.
Camp outlook: The Steelers kept six cornerbacks on their active roster in 2020 and lost two of them.
Competing to take up those spots are free agent additions like Denmark, DeMarkus Acy and Arthur Maulet, and undrafted rookies Mark Gilbert and Shakur Brown. The Steelers did not keep a corner on the practice squad for most of last season, so it could be as few as two spots for those five players.
Denmark has good size, speed and obviously has hands after his career as a wide receiver. He’ll likely need to turn those attributes into a special teams job as a returner or gunner to secure some type of a role.
Future: Denmark will be an exclusive-rights free agent after the 2021 season.
The rest of the 90:
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