James Pierre has not been good enough to be the Steelers depth option
Sometimes there are some shockingly bad performances when the preseason rolls around. Veteran depth players are someone you would expect consistency from, but that is not always the case. That shock is intensified after you notice the situation that they are in when it comes to making the roster. Even though the path to the team seems open, that is not always the case.
James Pierre will probably make the club when final cuts roll through, but the Steelers need to find an upgrade from somewhere else. There has not been much competition during the preseason process to push Pierre for that final spot at cornerback. He has been a quality special teamer in recent years, but he has regressed as a corner.
None of Luq Barcco or Madre Harper were able to nip at the heels of Pierre and that was disappointing. The veteran cornerback formerly of the Miami Hurricanes program has not been able to progress like many thought he would. Pierre does have starting experience with this defense, but he is long gone from those days.
Him on the field against starters would be a severe liability on the field. He has been exposed against backups on a routine basis this summer and should not feel that his roster spot is secure. Pittsburgh needs to be able to branch out and try and locate a better depth option that can also play special teams. There are tons of options out there and they should be able to find one.