The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed CB Grayland Arnold on the injured list, ending his season. The team announced todayIn a corresponding move, the team signed CB Kiondre Thomas.
Thomas has played in five games in his NFL career and practiced with the team two days ago. He played four games in 2021 as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers and one game last season with the Green Bay Packers.
It’s a disappointing end to the season for Arnold. He was signed by the Steelers in early June and was considered the favorite for the team’s starting position, but injuries during practice gave more opportunities to Beanie Bishop, who is listed on the team’s roster as the starting cornerback. With Arnold placed on the injured list before cutdown day, this is the end of his 2024 season before it has really begun. He played just five snaps in Pittsburgh’s season opener against the Houston Texans.
Last season, Arnold played 143 snaps with the Texans, 113 of which were in the slot. He was signed just before the team signed CB Cameron Sutton, and with Arnold’s slot experience and Sutton’s suspension earlier in the season, it seemed like a good opportunity for him to step in and earn a role. But with Bishop impressing and Arnold struggling to stay on the field, Bishop took the lead in the slot battle race.
Arnold suffered a calf injury in practice on Wednesday that was apparently severe enough that the team had to place him on the injured list. He is on the injured list alongside DT Breiden Fehoko.
Thomas played college football at Kansas State and was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent. He also played for the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks earlier this season and signed with the Carolina Panthers on July 26, but was released a week later. With Arnold out, he will play cornerback for Pittsburgh for the rest of the summer. He will likely make his first appearance as a member of the Steelers today when the team practices together against the Buffalo Bills.
