5 Steelers players barely hanging onto a roster spot

James Pierre has done nothing to set himself apart from backup CBs

James Pierre is a former training camp darling after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Despite his small-school status and average athletic traits, many fans had high hopes for Pierre after what he showed in previous years in exhibition action. That hope has now dwindled almost entirely.

Not only does it look like Pierre has no shot to be a future starting defensive back, but his spot on the roster is far from secure. Three years after wowing fans in his first training camp, Pierre has never made the progress that most were anticipating he would.

With the new additions at the cornerback position (most notably Joey Porter Jr.), Pierre no longer offers much of anything outside of his special teams experience. This alone could help him stick around for one more season in Pittsburgh.

However, if special teams coach Danny Smith decided that those shoes could be filled by someone else, it's possible that Pierre could be in his final days with the team. He needs to put on a show during Pittsburgh's preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons. Pierre might be just safe enough due to the lack of overall depth at CB right now, and his job may have been saved for this year with an unfortunate season-ending injury to rookie CB Cory Trice Jr.