Steelers Re-Sign Cornerback James Pierre

The Pittsburgh Steelers have re-signed cornerback James Pierre on a one-year contract for the 2023 season, the team announced on Tuesday. Terms of the contract were not immediately released.

Pierre had been scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason, but the team declined to tender him an RFA contract before the deadline last Wednesday. That contract would have been for a fully guaranteed $2.6 million. It’s likely that Pierre and the team were able to reach an agreement at a lesser amount.

A Deerfield Beach, Florida native, Pierre first joined the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of FAU in 2020 and made the team as a kickoff gunner as a rookie.

After starting out the 2021 season in the regular playing rotation, he lost playing time to Ahekllo Witherspoon. With Witherspoon injured in 2022, Pierre saw increased playing time in the second half of the season.

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In total, Pierre has played in 50 games and made six starts over three seasons with the Steelers. He finished the 2022 season with 29 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception and four passes defended.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Pierre will likely continue to serve as a special teams player and backup to Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon at outside cornerback.

Pierre is the sixth of the Steelers’ 2023 free agents to re-sign with the team, joining outside linebacker Jamir Jones, safety Damontae Kazee, long snapper Christian Kuntz, wide receiver Anthony Miller and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.

Only three of the team’s free agents have signed with other clubs: outside linebacker Malik Reed (Miami Dolphins), inside linebacker Robert Spillane (Las Vegas Raiders) and cornerback Cameron Sutton (Detroit Lions).

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