5 Steelers players with more to prove in next preseason game

Steelers need consistency from James Pierre

James Pierre has become somewhat of a frustrating player for the Steelers as of late. While he was a surprise standout as an undrafted free agent a few years ago who made the roster outright, he has since failed to progress as you would have liked. His game is marred in inconsistencies. For every good game he has, he also has a lackluster one soon after.

There seemed to be some subtle growth there a season ago, as he became a starter as injuries piled up on the cornerback position. He was steady and was rated as one of the better cornerbacks from the squad last season. With a new contract in hand, I was hoping that Pierre would continue to flash and cement himself in the defensive rotation.

That hasn’t happened, and his first preseason game was yet another mixed bag. He did make a few solid plays in the opener but also left some plays on the field. With Joey Porter ascending quickly, Pierre seems like he will have to make the roster as the fourth outside cornerback and will likely be used mostly on special teams.

While Pierre is fine in that role and has a cheap enough contract to justify that, the door still isn’t closed completely. Levi Wallace is a steady presence, but a strong showing in week two could do wonders for the fourth-year veteran. His roster spot still seems safe, but Pierre needs to have a consistent game to really cement himself on this roster.