Steelers sign cornerback Terell Smith to 53-man roster; add K.J. Henry to practice squad, release Bradyn Swinson
Oct. 6, 2026 — The Pittsburgh Steelers continued roster adjustments Tuesday, signing cornerback Terell Smith to the 53-man roster from the Washington Commanders practice squad, adding linebacker K.J. Henry to the practice squad and releasing linebacker Bradyn Swinson, the team announced. The team posted the moves on its official transactions log. The moves give Pittsburgh additional depth on defense as the regular season progresses.
Smith was a fifth-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft (165th overall) and spent three seasons with Chicago (2023-25). He appeared in 26 games with six starts and compiled 68 tackles, four tackles for loss, 10 passes defensed, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He missed the 2025 season after a knee injury placed him on the reserve/injured list. The Steelers signed him from Washington’s practice squad.
Washington signed him to its practice squad at the start of the 2026 season. Smith played collegiately at Minnesota, appearing in 37 games and finishing his college career with 109 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 16 passes defensed and four interceptions. The team expects to evaluate his knee and readiness as he joins the active roster. Coaching staff and medical personnel will monitor his progress in practice.
K.J. Henry spent time on the Steelers’ practice squad in 2025 and signed a reserve/future contract at the end of last season after spending training camp with the San Francisco 49ers. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders and has played in 14 career games with three starts for multiple teams, including the Commanders (2023), Cincinnati Bengals (2024) and Dallas Cowboys (2024). He has 22 career tackles and 2.5 sacks and has spent time on the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles practice squads as well. Henry played at Clemson, appearing in 48 college games and recording 13 sacks.
The team also released linebacker Bradyn Swinson from the practice squad. The Steelers posted the moves on their official transactions log Tuesday. Fans can watch the Steelers live on the go through NFL+, which offers live local and primetime regular-season games on mobile, NFL RedZone, NFL Network, live audio and other features. NFL+ carries team broadcasts and provides additional ways to follow roster updates.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Adding Terell Smith to the active roster gives the Steelers an experienced cornerback with starting experience and a mix of tackles and pass breakups on his resume. His return from a 2025 knee injury will determine how quickly he can contribute on the field. Signing K.J. Henry to the practice squad restores a young edge option with rotational NFL experience and a proven college pass-rush background. The moves underscore Pittsburgh’s continued use of roster and practice-squad mechanisms to shore up defensive depth as the season progresses.