One day after releasing veteran cornerback Anthony Brown from the practice squad and placing defensive back Josiah Scott on the practice squad Injured List, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the signing of former Baylor cornerback Kalon Barnes.
The Steelers previously hosted Barnes for a workout on Sept. 5.
Barnes was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and has bounced around with the Panthers, Miami Dolphins and most recently the Minnesota Vikings.
Barnes played ended two games for the Minnesota Vikings last season with nine special teams snaps. He ran an official 4.23 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine and measured in at 5114 and 183 pounds at his Pro Day with a 76 ¾-inch wingspan. He also broad jumped 11’01″ and competed in the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
Barnes entered Baylor as a three-star recruit at wide receiver before switching to cornerback, eventually playing 41 games on the defensive side of the football. Speed is a massive part of his game. Barnes was a two-time Texas 100m and 200m state champion in high school, and owns the Texas high school 100m record, which he set in 2017 with a time of 10.22.
During his time at Baylor, Barnes recorded three interceptions and 17 pass breakups.
Steelers Depot’s own Owen Straley saw Barnes up close and in person at the Shrine Bowl in 2022 and came away impressed with him. Here’s what he had to say about Barnes being a potential late-round target for the Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft: “An extremely gifted natural athlete with blazing long speed, solid hip mobility, and great patience in coverage. In press coverage, he is able to force receivers off their path with quick feet and solid patience before using his advantage in speed to carry receivers downfield and squeeze them into the sideline.
“His range in covering ground makes him extremely effective in Cover 2 and Cover 3 assignments, where he breaks efficiently from his crossover run. While his ball skills and effectiveness in shedding blocks will need to improve at the next level, his upside with proper development is extremely intriguing for any team.”
Now, he’s a member of the Steelers’ practice squad, giving the Steelers another long, physical cornerback with elite speed to try and develop. Check out Owen’s draft profile of Barnes that he did for the site ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, too.
