Cornerback Kalon Barnes, the fastest defensive player in NFL Combine history, has re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2024 campaign.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Tuesday that quarterback Carlon Barnes has re-signed to a future contract through the 2024 season.
Barnes, 25, joined the team’s practice squad on Sept. 15 and left the team two weeks later on Sept. 26. He also played for the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets after being cut by the Steelers. He was a member of the team when Cleveland’s season ended in the wild card round. Barnes has not played a single game this season.
The Carolina Panthers selected Barnes, a 6-foot-1, 186-pound cornerback from Baylor, in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. At the 2022 combine, Barnes ran the 40-yard dash in 4.23 seconds.
This was the second-best time by a defensive player and the fastest time since electronic timing was introduced in 1999. In 2017, wide receiver John Ross ran a 4.22-second 40-yard dash.
A native of Silsbee, Texas, Barnes began his career at Baylor as a wide receiver before converting to cornerback. With the Bears, Barnes was a late bloomer. He earned a starting position early, but didn’t establish himself as a starter until his senior year in 2021. In 41 games played for Waco, Barnes recorded 53 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, one forced fumble and 17 passes defensed.Barnes was drafted by the Panthers in late 2022.
However, he was left off the original 53-man roster. On December 14, he was waived off the Miami Dolphins practice squad after signing with the Minnesota Vikings.In two of the final three games of the season, he recorded nine tackles on Minnesota’s special teams. After training camp last August, Barnes was released by the Vikings and signed with the Steelers.
