The Pittsburgh Steelers have a full cornerback room this offseason. After Tuesday, though, it’s a little less crowded with the departure of defensive back Daequan Hardy.
NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported the Steelers waived Hardy on Tuesday. The defensive back is currently dealing with an injury.
Hardy played high school football at Penn Hills, which is roughly 30 minutes east of Acrisure Stadium in downtown Pittsburgh.
From 2019-23, Hardy played defensive back for the Penn State Nittany Lions. In 48 college games, he registered 60 combined tackles, including 7.5 tackles. Hardy also recorded 20 pass defenses, five interceptions and 3.5 sacks for Penn State.
The Buffalo Bills selected Hardy at No. 219 overall in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has yet to play in an NFL regular season game.
Steelers Waive CB Daequan Hardy: Report
Hardy had been on the Steelers roster for the better part of the past six months. The Steelers first signed the cornerback to their practice squad on November 4.
The team released him just before Thanksgiving but re-added him to the practice squad in early December. In January, the Steelers signed Hardy to a reserve/futures contract.
Hardy making his NFL debut with his hometown team this fall would have been an incredible story. But it was unlikely to happen.
Perhaps the Steelers could bring him back when he recovers from his injury. However, the team has more cornerback depth this offseason than in a long time.
Hardy didn’t make the Bills roster after his first NFL preseason two years ago. But Hardy returned to Buffalo on the team’s practice squad.
The cornerback again didn’t make the Bills last preseason. He was a free agent beginning in August until the Steelers signed him in November.
Steelers CB Depth Entering NFL Rookie Minicamp
Roster spots could be hard to come by with the Steelers this preseason.
Joey Porter Jr. returns as the team’s top cornerback. The team signed veteran Jamel Dean in NFL free agency to pair him with Porter.
Then in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers added Daylen Everette during the third round. The Steelers also have Asante Samuel Jr., Cory Trice Jr. and Doneiko Slaughter on the offseason roster.
And that’s only the projected outside cornerbacks. Versatile defensive back Jalen Ramsey could play slot cornerback when not at safety this season. The Steelers also have Brandin Echols, D’Shawn Jamison and undrafted rookie Devan Boykin as nickel options.
With that group, it’s hard envisioning Hardy making the Steelers roster. That would be the case even with Ramsey only played safety.
The Steelers will get their first look at Everette and Boykin during the team’s rookie minicamp this week. It’s likely other cornerbacks will be at the camp on a tryout basis as well.
It’s possible the Steelers released Hardy with another cornerback in mind to add. More than likely, though, the team just wanted to add a healthier player to the offseason roster.
After rookie minicamp from May 8-10, the Steelers will resume their offseason workouts with the entire team on May 18. Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp will be June 2-4.
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