A week after declining to tender him a contract to prevent him from hitting unrestricted free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed cornerback James Pierre to a one-year contract Tuesday.
Pierre has appeared in all 50 of the Steelers’ games over the past three seasons since making the team as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Pierre — a first cousin of star NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson — made two starts last season and four in 2021. He has one interception each of the past two seasons while playing just less than one-third of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in that time.
Financial terms were not immediately available, but Pierre likely is making close to the veteran minimum. The Steelers could have retained his rights as a restricted free agent by offering him a $2.63 million tender by March 15. They declined, and Pierre was free to be signed by any team.
Pierre is something of a forgotten man among the Steelers’ cornerbacks, depending on how you define it no better than the No. 6, 7 or 8 on the CB depth chart. https://t.co/ZLVFUK2f3Z
— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) June 23, 2022
Pierre was an intriguing prospect when he signed because of his size and pedigree that belies his college alma mater. Pierre initially had committed to Miami and then North Carolina and Syracuse, but academics prevented him from enrolling.
A significant special-teams contributor for the kick coverage and punt and kick return teams, Pierre was the Steelers’ No. 4 outside cornerback this past season. As the roster stands now, he remains in that range after the departure of Cameron Sutton but signing of Patrick Peterson in free agency.
Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace remain on the roster and are entering the final year of their contracts, and the Steelers are expected to add a cornerback in next month’s draft.
Slot receiver Steven Sims and backup center J.C. Hassenauer were other restricted free agents nontendered by the Steelers.
Among 2022 Steelers who remain on the unrestricted free agent market are safety Terrell Edmunds, No. 2 tight end Zach Gentry, fullback/special-teamer Derek Watt and receiver/special-teamer Miles Boykin.
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