Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 season is over, the team finishing above .500 but failing to make the postseason, we turn our attention to the offseason and everything that means. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on broader contexts, reflecting on a player’s development, either positively or negatively, over the course of the season. Other evaluations will reflect only one immediate event or trend. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: CB James Pierre
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: Since the Steelers re-signed James Pierre, they drafted two players at his position, which will make it more difficult for him to keep his job. Even if he does, it could severely limit his opportunities on defense and relegate him to special teams.
James Pierre is one of those players whom we haven’t spoken about in this column for a while. Indeed, the last time that we brought him up here was back in March when he officially re-signed with the Steelers, so it’s been some time, and a lot has happened since then that affects his status.
Most especially, the team drafted two cornerbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. While most expected the Steelers to try to draft a cornerback early, wanting to do something and getting that thing done mark an important distinction.
And then the Steelers came away from the seventh round with Cory Trice Jr. in tow, as well. Trice figures to be a potential threat to Pierre’s roster spot, though certainly it’s possible that both of them could make it. in doing so, however, they may be going heavy on outside cornerbacks and light on slot-capable defenders.
A college free agent in 2020 out of Florida Atlantic, Pierre hasn’t quite blossomed into the diamond in the rough many fans were hoping for, but he’s done more than serviceably for himself. His work on special teams is to be commended, but he also filled in ably this past season when his number got called on defense.
Pierre got his shot for a bigger role in 2021 when there were injuries, starting several games, but he was eventually demoted and then benched entirely because of his struggles, allowing too many big plays over his head. As mentioned, he did largely clean that up in his playing time in 2022.
With Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, Porter, Trice, and Chandon Sullivan already at cornerback, and potentially a five-safety year, however, Pierre’s roster spot is at least in question, a notion strengthened by the fact that the Steelers decided not to give him a restricted free agent tender earlier this offseason.
He will also have challenges from a field including Duke Dawson, Luq Barcoo, Madre Harper, and Chris Wilcox, some of whom have inside-outside versatility, which will play in their favor. But whoever ends up making it will have to be capable of contributing on special teams, more likely than not.
