Steelers A to Z: Late addition Jaray Jenkins trying to make up for lost time

Joe Rutter
Monday, July 1, 2024 12:21 p.m. | Monday, July 1, 2024 12:21 p.m.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jaray Jenkins gains yards after catching a pass during a presesaon NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2022. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jaray Jenkins gains yards after catching a pass during a presesaon NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2022.

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

WR Jaray Jenkins

Experience/age: First year, no NFL experience/24

Contract status: $795,000 cap hit if he makes the team

The past: Jenkins is a newcomer to the offseason roster, joining the Steelers on June 3. That left him little time to get acclimated to the system before the team disbanded prior to training camp.

Jenkins signed as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023, but he was waived/injured in the preseason and cut by the team before the start of the season. He was not on an NFL roster last season.

Jenkins was a productive receiver in his four years at LSU. He started 20 times in 43 career games and totaled 89 receptions for 1,370 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a senior in 2022, he led LSU with six touchdowns, catching three against Florida. He declared for the NFL Draft that December with one year of eligibility remaining.

Jenkins ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, which contributed to his not getting drafted in 2023.

Jaray Jenkins Gauntlet#NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/Pa6Jx5Rfc3

— WalkTheMock (@WalkTheMock) March 4, 2023

2024 outlook: Jenkins has some catching up to do if he hopes to show the coaching staff that he deserves a roster spot. Being out of football last season also doesn’t help his cause, but the Steelers obviously saw enough potential in Jenkins to give him a chance to compete in the final weeks of spring workouts.

The practice squad is a more realistic option for Jenkins given the number of veterans competing for roster spots once training camp begins. Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, Marquez Callaway and Scotty Miller are among the receivers with NFL experience that also will be in training camp.

The Steelers also drafted Michigan’s Roman Wilson in the third round, another obstacle in front of Jenkins.

Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.