Steelers Sign Fastest-Ever NFL Cornerback

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed cornerback Kalon Barnes, one of the fastest players in the history of the NFL Combine.

Barnes, 24, is a 6-foot, 186-pound cornerback out of Baylor who was a seventh-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2022.

Barnes ran a 4.23-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 combine, the second-fastest time since electronic timing was introduced in 1999, and fasted ever for a defensive player. Wide receiver John Ross ran a 4.22-second 40 in 2017.

A Slisbee, Texas native, Barnes started as a wide receiver before transitioning to cornerback at Baylor. With the Bears, Barnes was something of a late bloomer, earning a playing role right away but not a starter’s job until his senior season in 2021.

Barnes played a total of 41 games in Waco, finishing with 53 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, one forced fumble and 17 passes defended.

The Panthers drafted Barnes late in 2022, but he did not make their initial 53-man roster. He signed with the Miami Dolphins practice squad, and was then poached from that unit by the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 14.

He played two of the last three games of the season for Minnesota, playing nine snaps, all of which came on special teams. Barnes was cut by the Vikings coming out of training camp this August and had not signed with another team since.

Barnes was one of a number of players the Steelers have worked out at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex over the last few weeks.

Barnes gives the Steelers two cornerbacks on the practice squad, along with Luq Barcoo, who was re-signed on Thursday. The team released veteran Anthony Brown and Josiah Scott was placed on the practice squad injured reserve.