Buccaneers Super Bowl Champion Jamel Dean Signs With Pittsburgh Steelers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had some work to do on defense at the beginning of free agency, and now, they have even more work to do.

Most Bucs fans are still reeling from franchise legend Mike Evans' departure to the San Francisco 49ers, but another under-the-radar departure could hurt them even more. Cornerback Jamel Dean is headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers, signing a three-year, $36.75 million deal per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The Steelers have agreed with CB Jamel Dean on a three-year, $36.75 million deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Deal done by @ErikBurkhardt of @RocNationSports. pic.twitter.com/IPBKI5Pj3J
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2026

The signing gives the Steelers a strong cornerback option into next year and beyond, but it creates a hole in Tampa Bay's secondary that the Buccaneers are going to have to fill somehow.

Jamel Dean signs with Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) runs an intercepted back for a touchdown against the New York Jets | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Dean has had a somewhat controversial tenure in Tampa Bay. He has had a lot of problems with injuries, unable to stay on the field for a full season in his NFL career. His play has been up-and-down in Tampa Bay, but it was certainly up in 2025 — when he was healthy, Dean was one of the best cornerbacks in football last year.

Dean had three picks (one for six), nine passes defended and two forced fumbles last year. He took a paycut in the offseason to trigger his free agency this year, and while it helped the Bucs then, it hurts them big now as they lose Dean to the Steelers. Dean won a Super Bowl with the Bucs in 2020, but now, he's officially moving on to try and win one in the AFC.

Now that Dean is gone, the Bucs currently have Benjamin Morrison and Zyon McCollum as their two outside corners, with Jacob Parrish serving as the team's nickel. Either way, the Bucs now have a big hole in the secondary — they either need a starting-caliber cornerback to take over Dean's spot, or they need a depth cornerback to play behind second-year corner Morrison, who has a history of injuries himself.

The Bucs have so far signed one more player than they have lost, bringing in running back Kenneth Gainwell from the Steelers and linebacker Alex Anzalone from the Detroit Lions after re-upping with tight end Cade Otton. The two players they lost in Evans and Dean are significant ones, though, and they'll have to spend the rest of their money trying to replace them this offseason.

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