The Steelers made another move with Doneiko Slaughter on Wednesday, re-signing the defensive back to the 53-man roster ahead of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. The team also placed Michael Pittman Jr. on the Reserve/Injured List and elevated Lew Nichols and Brandon Smith for the matchup.
For Slaughter, this is the latest step in a busy roster stretch. He first signed a Reserve/Future contract after the 2025 season, then spent much of the early part of the year moving between the practice squad and the active roster. He was elevated ahead of Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, again before Week 2 against the New England Patriots and once more ahead of Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Slaughter was signed to the 53-man roster ahead of the Week 4 game against the Browns, but after that game he was released and returned to the practice squad. Now he is back on the 53-man roster again, giving the Steelers additional depth in the defensive backfield at a time when roster flexibility matters.
What the Steelers are managing at the same time
The corresponding move with Pittman changes the Colts matchup picture as well. Pittman entered the roster move with a foot injury that had already kept him out of the Week 2 game against the New England Patriots, and the Reserve/Injured List now removes him from the active mix for at least this week.
Sunday’s game also comes with a couple of extra roster elevations for Pittsburgh. Nichols was activated earlier in the season, and both he and Brandon Smith are now available for the game against Indianapolis. Those moves give the Steelers more options as they build out the game-day roster.
For Slaughter, the immediate question is simple: can he use this latest opportunity to stick on the 53-man roster? Given how often he has already been moved on and off the active roster, the Steelers clearly still value his depth. This latest transaction suggests they are comfortable going back to him when they need help in the secondary.
