Steelers Free Agent Analysis: James Pierre
Position: Cornerback
Experience: 5 Years
Free Agent Status: Unrestricted
2024 Salary Cap Hit: $820,833
2024 Season Breakdown:
The Steelers have already shown that they don’t hold CB James Pierre in particularly high regard. While they respect his special teams contributions and are willing to put him on the field defensively if necessary, they have already shown they are unwilling to overpay for him. In fact, they let him leave in free agency a year ago, only to circle back later in the year.
Pierre became a minor necessity for the Steelers after Cory Trice Jr. suffered an injury in Week 3. Trice, a second-year man who spent his rookie season on IR, earned their top backup cornerback job in 2024. Without him, they didn’t really have anyone else, so they brought Pierre back.
Perhaps part of the reason the Steelers brought James Pierre back is because they were struggling on special teams. Also letting Miles Boykin go, they parted with both of their gunners from the previous years. And we saw a significant difference in the quality of play thereafter, especially after Ben Skowronek’s injury.
Pierre ultimately played 206 defensive snaps, but he also played 255 snaps on special teams for the Steelers. Over the course of his career, he has played 1,191 special teams snaps to 933 on defense. Early on, there was hope that he was some diamond in the rough. Now that hope has been passed on to Cory Trice Jr., and on it goes. Fans have to be right about somebody eventually, right?
Free Agency Outlook:
While he is not a high priority, there is no harm in the Steelers re-signing James Pierre. They know he is a reliable asset on special teams, and if he has to play on defense, that’s really their own fault. If the Steelers get to a point where he is the third man outside, does Pierre deserve the blame? Of course not.
It goes without saying that Pierre would only cost the Steelers a Veteran Salary Benefit contract, likely with no signing bonus. And don’t be surprised if he hangs out there for a while in free agency, perhaps until after the draft. Maybe even later than that, into the summer. The only team likely to sign him sooner is the Steelers, and only for the cheapest possible contract.
The Steelers have a long list of free agents this year, but not absolutely can’t-lose names. While it includes significant players like Najee Harris and Dan Moore Jr., they are not the team’s priority. The biggest question is the quarterback position, working to choose between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. There are some choice role players, but they wouldn’t fall apart if they lost the entire lot—minus a quarterback.
The Steelers have some key needs this offseason, and they may add to those needs through termination. This is an offseason on which they should focus on cleaning out some dead weight, which has accumulated over time. Perhaps they will turn over the free agents more often than usual, going back to the outside well.
