Steelers Waive Fastest-Ever NFL Cornerback after Injury

Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Updates: The Steelers have waived cornerback Kalon Barnes after a quad injury earlier this week.

Steelers Kalon Barnes
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Kalon Barnes at mandatory minicamp on June 11, 2024 -- Ed Thompson // Steelers Now

UNITY TWP., Pa. — The Pittsburgh Steelers have waived cornerback Kalon Barnes with an injury designation, the team announced on Monday.

Barnes had suffered a quad injury during the team’s training camp practice at St. Vincent College on Sunday and he missed practice on Tuesday.

Barnes, 25, is in his third professional season out of Baylor. The 6-foot, 186-pound cornerback ran the fastest time in the history of the NFL Combine for a cornerback coming out of college, running a 4.23-second 40-yard dash.

But the Silsbee, Texas native has yet to make an impact at the NFL level. He bounced from the Carolina Panthers, who took him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, to the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, playing two games with Minnesota before signing with the Steelers for the first time in September 2023.

He spent just one week on the team’s practice squad last season, and later spent time with the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns before the Steelers re-signed him in January to a future contract for the 2024 season.

In recent days, it seemed that Barnes had been passed on the Steelers depth chart by younger players like Darius Rush and Cory Trice, Jr. If he clears waivers on Tuesday, he will revert to the Steelers’ injured reserve list.

The Steelers now have two vacant slots on their 90-man offseason roster.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS INJURY REPORT

Player Injury Date  Prognosis Roster Status
CB Kalon Barnes Quad  Aug. 11  TBD Waived/injured
WR Tarik Black Hamstring Aug. 11  TBD Active, DNP on Mon. 
OT Troy Fautanu Left MCL sprain Aug. 9 Two weeks Active, DNP on Mon.
NT Keeanu Benton Right eye Aug. 9 TBD Active, DNP on Mon.
NT Breiden Fehoko Arm/shoulder Aug. 7 TBD Injured reserve
ILB Tyler Murray Groin Aug. 7 TBD Injured reserve
S Nate Meadors Hamstring Aug. 6 TBD Injured reserve
OLB Alex Highsmith Groin Aug. 6 TBD Active, DNP on Mon.
OLB David Perales Torn left MCL July 31 Months Injured reserve 
WR Roman Wilson Left ankle sprain July 30 Week to week Active, DNP on Mon.
DT Dean Lowry Right calf June Healthy Active, FP on Mon.
RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson Left hamstring Unknown Healthy Active, FP on Mon.
ILB Cole Holcomb Left knee Nov. 2, 2023 TBD Physically unable to perform
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