Steelers Release Just-Signed Linebacker

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released linebacker Kuony Deng, the team announced on Saturday, just days after signing him.

Deng was added late in the preseason, signing with the team on Aug. 21 after a pair of injuries to wide receivers Hakeem Butler and Cody White opened up roster spots.

He dressed but did not play in the Steelers’ preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday. He worked with the Steelers as both an inside and outside linebacker, but his late arrival in Pittsburgh prevented him from making any kind of real impact.

Deng, 25, is a native of Aldie, Virgina. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound linebacker was waived by the Chicago Bears on Aug. 15. Originally signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Deng spent the preseason with Atlanta last year and recorded two tackles. He was waived by the Falcons on Aug. 23 and was out of the league until catching on with Chicago on Dec. 20.

He was added to the Bears practice squad, where he finished the 2022 season and was re-signed to a reserve/future contract for 2023. He played five snaps in Chicago’s Week 2 preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, and did not record any statistics.

With the Bears, Deng missed all but two games of his 2021 season with injury, and played just four games in a COVID-shortened 2020. His best season was in 2019, when he played 13 games and posted 121 tackles, 7.5 for a loss and three sacks. Before transferring to Cal, Deng spent two years at VMI and one season at Independence Community College.

The Steelers must cut down from their 90-player offseason roster to the NFL-mandated 53-man limit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.