Steelers cut ties with Super Bowl champion to bring back rookie UDFA who started his career in Pittsburgh
The Steelers welcome back a familiar face.
The lone bright spot for the Pittsburgh Steelers during Sunday Night’s shellacking against the Los Angeles Chargers was the continuity of the defensive play from Pittsburgh. The dam eventually burst because the Steelers’ offense couldn’t keep their defense off the field, but they held firm for three quarters.
It was the second week in a row that the Steelers integrated their new safety duo of Kyle Dugger and Jalen Ramsey. One-half of that new duo was acquired because of the injury suffered by starter DeShon Elliott. That is the role now occupied by Dugger.
But the other half, – Jalen Ramsey, was a move the Steelers made to get better. It saw the demotion of Juan Thornhill, who has now gone from starter, to benched, to cut, in just two weeks.
Steelers release Juan Thornhill, sign Sebastian Castro off waivers
If the name Sebastian Castro sounds familiar, it should. He spent the summer with the Steelers after being signed as a UDFA following the 2025 NFL Draft. He was ultimately cut and brought back to the practice squad before being poached by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who then released him.
A fast safety with the potential for instant impact on special teams, here is some analysis from A to Z Sports NFL Draft expert Destin Adams on what Castro can bring to the Steelers on his second go-round.
“Sebastian Castro was a player I was shocked to like as much as I did during the draft process. He didn’t test as a great athlete, but when you watched his college film, he moved so smoothly and, at times, looked like he was flying all over the field. He’s a guy who, when healthy, has way more on-field speed than a 40-yard dash type of drill would show.”
“For example, I remember watching him at the Senior Bowl, and it felt like he was one of the fastest guys on the field, and there was data to back that up. He clocked in over 20 mph in practice and clocked faster times than players who are more known for their speed, such as Tennessee Titans WR Chimere Dike and Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Jacob Parrish.”
“Castro has a legitimate chance to be an immediate impact player on special teams, and with the right coaching, he could be a legitimate starter in a box safety role. I loved the Steelers signing him after the draft, and I like them circling back to him now to see if they can unlock his game.”
In all, the Steelers get back a player they like after saving some money on the remainder of Thornhill’s salary. Castro is unlikely to break the three-man safety rotation, but he’s a valuable depth piece as the season goes on.
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