A sleeper option at cornerback for the Steelers is the speedy Kalon Barnes. He is entering his third professional season in the league but has spent most of his first two years as a practice squad player. Barnes spent about a week and a half on the Steelers practice squad last September but never cracked the active roster.
The thing that makes Barnes such an intriguing prospect is his speed. He ran that fastest 40-yard dash ever by a cornerback at the NFL Combine prior to the 2022 NFL Draft. He ran a 4.23 which is the third fastest time in recorded history behind only John Ross and Xavier Worthy.
For Barnes, he is confident in his game and while his speed may have gotten him noticed, he knows he belongs on a football field. He stated that if he was not a track star that he would have still made it the NFL because of his football abilities.
“Most definitely,” Barnes said in a press conference shortly after being drafted. “Most people say that I was a track guy that played football but I say I am a football guy that is really fast and that ran track. I have football skills. … My physicality, willing to learn, real coachable.”
Standing at 6-foot, 186 pounds, Barnes has good enough size and speed to play in the league but just has yet to catch on anywhere. He did play in two games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 but failed to register any official stats. In his two appearances, he played nine special teams snaps.
The problem for Barnes is that he is in a log-jammed cornerback room. The oustide corners are likely to be Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Cory Trice and Darius Rush while Cam Sutton, Beanie Bishop, Thomas Graham and Josiah Scott are vying for the slot role. This leaves Barnes with little chance to make the 53-man roster.
While Trice and Rush are not proven commodities by any means, their time inside of the building will give them the edge over a guy like Barnes or even a guy like Anthony Averett.
Regardless, Barnes is a speed demon that could matchup with the quicker receivers of the league if he were to make the team. With many chances for him to showcase his talents upcoming, Barnes potential should earn him a spot on the team’s practice squad if he does not make the team.
31 • Kalon Barnes, Cornerback, Baylor
6-foot-0, 186 pounds, 25 years old, 3rd Season
Acquired: The Steelers signed Kalon Barnes to a one-year contract in Jan. 23, 2024. He was one of three cornerbacks that the team signed that day. The other two were Josiah Scott and Thomas Graham.
Last season: In September of 2023, Barnes was signed to the Steelers practice squad but only lasted 11 days before being waived. He spent the rest of the season on the Browns and Jets practice squads but did not receive a reserve/futures deal with either team.
Career: The Carolina Panthers drafted Kalon Barnes in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft but never played a down for them in a regular season game. Instead, the Panthers waived Barnes during training camp and did not elect to bring him back.
He was later signed to the Miami Dolphins practice squad where he spent the first few months of the season before being signed to the Minnesota Vikings active roster. Barnes stayed with the Vikings until the following August when they waived him from the roster.
| Year | Team | GP | Tackles | INTs | PDs |
| 2022 | MIN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
College: Kalon Barnes committed to Baylor as a wide receiver prospect in 2017 and arrived on campus for the 2018 season. Prior to the start of the season, Barnes transitioned to cornerback. As a true freshman, Barnes appeared in 11 of the Bears’ 12 games. He totaled 10 tackles and one defended pass.
As a sophomore, Barnes appeared in all 14 games and combined for 22 tackles, one interception, six defended passes and one forced fumble. In 2020’s shortened season, Barnes started five of the six games at cornerback and tallied another interception and four defended passes.
In 2021, Barnes started 10 games and logged a career-high 24 tackles. He added an interception to go along with six defended passes.
Over his four seasons at Baylor, Barnes played in 41 games and combined for 69 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble and 17 defended passes.
| Year | GP | TKLs | INTs | PDs | FFs |
| 2018 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 14 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Salary cap and future: Kalon Barnes signed a one-year contract to sign with the Steelers. If he makes the Steelers 53-man roster, Barnes will cost $915,000 against the team’s cap space. None of his contract is guaranteed meaning if the Steelers decided to part ways with him, they will not face any dead money penalties.
