The Chicago Bears parted ways with cornerback Terell Smith as part of the team’s initial 53-man roster cuts at the end of August, which sent him on a journey across the NFL.
The most recent stop on Smith’s trip saw the Pittsburgh Steelers cut ties with the former 2023 fifth-round draft pick. And as it happens, Chicago is in need of some secondary depth after failing to secure it ahead of the trade deadline earlier this week.
“Steelers activated DT Derrick Harmon from injured reserve and waived CB Terell Smith,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported via X on Saturday, November 14.
Terell Smith’s Career in Chicago Started Out With Promise
Smith started his career with Chicago as legitimate competition for Tyrique Stevenson, a former second-rounder who came into the Bears organization as part of the same class and eventually carved out a role for himself as the team’s second outside cornerback alongside Jaylon Johnson.
Across his first two seasons in Chicago, Smith appeared in 26 games and earned six starts. He tallied 10 pass breakups, four tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble.
However, injury struck during the preseason in 2025, when Smith suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. Such injuries are difficult for players to come back from, particularly in the context of achieving their previous form.
So even though Smith is still just 27 years old, his absence from the team for head coach Ben Johnson’s entire first season at the helm and the lingering effects from the injury led to the cornerback’s unemployment in early September.
Smith initially joined the Washington Commanders practice squad on September 2. He eventually caught on with the Steelers in early October and played one game for Pittsburgh against the Cleveland Browns on November 1. Smith appeared on 12 special teams snaps in that contest but did not see the field on defense.
Bears’ Secondary in Need of More Depth
Some media members and fans around the Bears organization were surprised that the team did not add Smith back to the practice squad after cutting him loose from the initial 53-man roster.
In the interim, the Bears have dealt with significant injury concerns in the secondary and have also watched the aforementioned Stevenson and Johnson struggle to a meaningful degree to lock down the outside of the field across the defense’s third level.
The addition of All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons at the trade deadline has certainly helped matters across the entirety of the unit, but the Bears remained candidates to ship out a fifth-round pick for someone like Philadelphia Eagles DB Riq Woolen this week to solidify the cornerback position.
Smith, who has made $4.2 million over the course of his career, doesn’t have the resumé Woolen does. However, he also doesn’t have the paycheck. And Chicago won’t have to send out any future draft assets to bring back a player in Smith who can join the practice squad and add depth to the Bears’ roster where it is needed most.
Bears Can Reunite With Once-Promising $4 Million CB After Recent Cut