Steelers Swiftly Bolster Secondary with Veteran Signing Just Hours After Ravens’ Surprise Release

Pittsburgh, PA – In a lightning-fast roster maneuver that exemplifies the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opportunistic approach to the waiver wire, the team has added a seasoned defensive back to their practice squad mere hours after his abrupt departure from the Baltimore Ravens. The move, announced Tuesday afternoon, comes at a critical juncture for a Steelers defense already thin in the secondary due to lingering injuries, injecting veteran savvy and playmaking potential into a unit hungry for reinforcements as the AFC North grind intensifies.

The Steelers, riding high at 4-1 following their dominant 31-17 dismantling of the Cleveland Browns on October 12, entered their Week 7 bye with eyes on bolstering depth ahead of a brutal late-season schedule. General manager Omar Khan has been proactive all fall, snagging undrafted gems and short-term fixes to maintain Pittsburgh’s trademark physicality. This latest acquisition—finalized just two hours after the Ravens’ release hit the wires—underscores Khan’s wire-to-wire vigilance, transforming a divisional rival’s discard into black-and-gold ammunition. With cornerback Joey Porter Jr. nursing a Grade 1 hamstring strain and free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick limited by a shoulder tweak, the timing couldn’t be more fortuitous for Mike Tomlin’s squad.

The new addition is C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the 27-year-old Super Bowl champion safety and former Philadelphia Eagles standout whose career has been a whirlwind of high-impact plays and high-profile trades. Gardner-Johnson, a fourth-round pick out of Florida in 2019, brings a resume brimming with splash: 18 career interceptions, 51 passes defended, and a knack for big moments. Last season, he anchored Philly’s secondary with six picks en route to Super Bowl LIX glory over the Kansas City Chiefs, earning First-Team All-Pro nods for his versatility across nickel and safety roles. His Ravens stint, however, was a fleeting footnote—signed to the practice squad on October 7 only to be mutually released after Baltimore traded for Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman, blocking his path to game-day elevation. Prior to that, a brief three-game detour with the Houston Texans ended in September amid reported locker-room friction, per agent Kevin Conner.

Sources indicate the signing was a no-brainer for Pittsburgh, with Tomlin personally greenlighting the deal after reviewing tape from Gardner-Johnson’s Lions days, where he tallied five interceptions in 2023. “He’s a football player—fiery, instinctive, and always around the ball,” an AFC scout told Steelers Wire. The fit is seamless in Keith Butler’s aggressive scheme, where Gardner-Johnson’s trash-talking edge and coverage chops could spell immediate special teams reps, if not starter auditions upon return from the bye. At a league-minimum $1.2 million for the practice squad (with upside for promotion), it’s low-risk upside for a defense ranking fourth in takeaways (11) through five weeks.

This isn’t Gardner-Johnson’s first tango with adversity; his career arc—from New Orleans undrafted sparkplug to Eagles trade acquisition in 2022—mirrors the resilience Tomlin preaches. Fined six times for taunting last year yet beloved in Philly for his swagger, he’s the type of “dawg” (his self-descriptor) who thrives in Pittsburgh’s blue-collar ethos. Recent social media posts hint at mental health prioritization post-Ravens (“#GodsPlan”), but insiders say he’s primed for a rebound. For the Steelers, who’ve leaned on journeymen like Eric Rowe amid injuries, Gardner-Johnson represents stability—and perhaps a divisional thorn for old foes like the Ravens, fresh off a 1-5 skid.

As Pittsburgh digests their bye-week blueprint—film deep dives on Lamar Jackson’s mobility and red-zone tweaks—the secondary infusion could prove pivotal. With the New York Jets lurking in Week 8, Tomlin’s message post-Browns win rings truer: Belief fuels fire. Gardner-Johnson’s arrival? It’s gasoline on that flame, a reminder that in the NFL’s churn, discarded talent often becomes another’s dynasty piece.