Steelers Rising Playmaker Could Be in For Major Payday

The Pittsburgh Steelers have not had much to root for in recent weeks. With subpar team performances, the team has had to look at small individual successes.

One such story involves James Pierre, who has gone from practice squad elevation to genuine contributor in recent weeks with the team.

His success has not gone unnoticed by the media, with myself anointing him as a new starter in Pittsburgh. That being said, with his contract up at the end of the season, he is set to enter free agency. Bradley Locker of PFF added pierre to a list of possible free agents that could garner a lot of money, in his "15 underrated 2026 NFL free agents set to cash in" article.

"Like its offense, Pittsburgh’s defense has generally been languid in 2025. As certain veterans have underwhelmed, the door has opened for unsung players like Pierre to step into enhanced opportunities." Locker wrote.

Locker's Breakdown

He then spoke about Pierre's snaps and how he has taken advantage recently. He elaborated using PFF's grading system despite his limited snaps at the position.

"Pierre has suited up on only 278 snaps this season, mostly filling in for the recently waived Darius Slay. But when on the field, he’s been a tremendous asset. Pierre’s 82.0 PFF coverage grade is the third-best among corners with 150 or more coverage snaps, and his 30% forced incompletion rate is second." Locker wrote

Finally, Locker elaborated on Pierre's career as a whole, balancing his positives and negatives and still coming out with an overall positive response. He then attempted to predict his future performance and positional value.

"The bag has been mixed on Pierre throughout his Steelers career, playing a total of 1,226 in six years. Yet, his ball production and minimal separation allowed — even against talents like Ja’Marr Chase — could warrant a starting opportunity in 2026, complemented by a larger-than-anticipated deal." Locker wrote.

Pierre For The Rest Of The Season

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre (42) intercepted a pass to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. The Bengals lost 34-12. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the time being, the Steelers will need to rely on Pierre's skill to give them a better shot of competing for a playoff spot. At 6-6, it will be a tough climb but still certainly within the realm of possibility for the team.

The combination of Pierre and Joey Porter Jr. will give the Steelers their best shot at success at cornerback, so it is expected that, injury-permitting, they will roll with that setup for the rest of the season.

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