The Pittsburgh Steelers were aggressive this offseason in adding some key pieces to the room. Their biggest splash in free agency came by way of Jamel Dean.
The veteran cornerback has had an up-and-down career as a starter. At times, he plays like a true top defender in the league. On the other hand, just two seasons ago, he was nearly cut by Tampa Bay due to how bad a season he had.
Now in Pittsburgh, the expectation is that Dean will be the second cornerback to Joey Porter Jr. for the foreseeable future. Given all of the details, though, Dean could already be on thin ice.
Jamel Dean may not be a long-term solution for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Given the length of his deal, it feels like the hope is that the Steelers get at least two years out of Dean as a starter. I’m curious how well he will play as he enters his 30s, however.
The Steelers don’t have a great track record with veteran cornerbacks. Every offseason seems to have a new face, yet no one has stuck. Dean is probably the best of the options that they have tried, but the risk for regression is there.
It also doesn’t help that Dean has been a bumpy player historically. While he is coming off an excellent season with the Buccaneers and has had more good years than bad, we know that he could seemingly just implode as he has in years past.
Even if he doesn’t, the Steelers could still be ready to move on sooner than later. Daylen Everette was drafted in the third round, seemingly with the goal of him eventually turning into a starter. Reports have been positive for the former Bulldog, and he could be ready sooner than later.
Dean’s contract is very team friendly. The Steelers can cut him next year and save $8 million in cap space. It certainly feels like a one-year trial run for the veteran with an option to keep him around for year two.
Ideally, this plays out better than the past few veteran cornerbacks for the Steelers. Patrick Peterson and Jalen Ramsey had to make the switch to safety and slot cornerback before the year was through. Darius Slay didn’t even make it a full season.
The best-case scenario is that Dean plays out his contract at a high level while Everette develops into a capable starter. Maybe he even becomes a trade piece if Everette can take over sooner than expected.
At worst, this turns into another one-year rental. The only reason that happens is if Dean’s play fails to live up to the deal he was given. He already has a lot riding on him this year, especially if he wants to stay in Pittsburgh beyond 2026.
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