Steelers add DB Ahmari Harvey, cut DE K.J. Henry

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced a pair of roster changes as they continue building toward the 2026 season. According to the team announcement reported by Yahoo Sports on June 25, Pittsburgh signed defensive back Ahmari Harvey and, in the same transaction window, cut defensive end K.J. Henry.

Harvey’s path to the NFL began with the 2026 draft, when he joined the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. The Steelers’ signing gives Harvey a new opportunity to compete for a role on Pittsburgh’s defense, where defensive back depth can be shaped quickly by camps and early-season evaluations.

For the Steelers, the move is part of a familiar offseason process: adding players with recent draft-era entry points and special-team potential while making room for other offseason evaluations. Defensive back signings often carry a dual mandate, contributing to coverage depth and offering coaches options for roles on punt and kickoff units.

Henry’s departure is the counterweight to the Harvey addition. As a defensive end, Henry represents one of the positions Pittsburgh can shuffle as it looks for pass-rush consistency and run defense answers. Cuts like this typically reflect the ongoing sorting of fit, athletic traits, and readiness for the Steelers’ scheme and tempo.

Both sides of the transaction matter for roster construction because the NFL offseason is often where teams establish their baseline group for later additions. With multiple positions competing for spots, a signing paired with a cut can report what coaching staffs believe they have in the pipeline, even if the final Week 1 roster remains months away.

What to watch next is how quickly Harvey can translate his transition into the Steelers system and whether he earns reps that suggest a long-term trajectory on the roster. For Henry, the next step will determine whether the skills he showed translate to another team’s front-seven plans or special-teams needs. The Steelers’ personnel decisions in the coming weeks will be the clearest indicator of how these moves fit into the larger build.