The Pittsburgh Steelers signed safety Jack Henderson twice over the past year. But at the NFL’s roster deadline after the preseason, the Steelers didn’t find a spot for Henderson on the active roster or practice squad.
The second-year safety, though, could be getting his next opportunity with last year’s top seed in the AFC.
According to the NFL transaction wire, Henderson had a tryout with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday. Henderson tried out along with fellow defensive back Dean Clark. The Broncos also hosted linebackers Jack Dingle and Emany Johnson for tryouts.
Over a year and a half in the league, Henderson has experienced two stints with the Steelers and tenures with the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins. The safety has yet to make his NFL debut.
Ex-Steelers Safety Jack Henderson Tries Out for Denver Broncos
The Broncos are apparently very interested in adding more safety depth. Denver just signed veteran Taylor Rapp to its practice squad Monday.
Rapp, who was a second-round pick and won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams, is one of two safeties on the Broncos practice squad. Denver also has four safeties on its active roster.
With that in mind, it’s hard to envision the Broncos needing Henderson. But perhaps the team wanted to familiarize itself with the safety in case of injuries down the road.
Henderson began his college career at Southeastern Louisiana University. He transferred to the University of Minnesota, where he played his final two collegiate seasons.
From 2023-24, Henderson posted 103 combined tackles, including 14 for loss, seven sacks and three interceptions in 26 games for Minnesota.
This past offseason, Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora commended Henderson for his athleticism. That could be why the Broncos are interested.
“There’s worthwhile athleticism to check out,” wrote Kozora. “At his Pro Day, Henderson ran a respectable 4.54 40[-yard dash] and really shined in his jumps and agility drills — a 39.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-8-inch broad, and 6.81 three-cone.”
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Henderson could have brought intriguing athleticism to the Steelers again, particularly as a member of the practice squad. But the team appears to have moved on.
When the roster reaches full health (if it ever does), the Steelers will feature a pretty solid safety room. But the team will be missing starter Deshon Elliott to begin the regular season. The Steelers placed Elliott on the PUP list at the end of August, which will make the veteran unavailable for the first four games.
Without Elliot, the Steelers are moving forward with Jaquan Brisker, Rayshawn Jenkins and Robert Spears-Jennings as the team’s safeties on the active roster. On the practice squad, the Steelers also have defensive backs Sebastian Catro, Doneiko Slaughter and Car’lin Vigers.
If need be, veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey could also play safety. He lined up regularly at safety during the second half of the 2025 campaign, which was his first with the Steelers.
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