Few readers, if any, had ever heard of James Pierre before when the Pittsburgh Steelers first announced that they had signed the 6’2” Florida Atlantic cornerback to a rookie college free agent contract following the 2020 NFL Draft. He has since grown into a fan favorite, and has positioned himself to be a starter in the team’s nickel defense this year.
That possibility became much more likely when the Steelers waived Antoine Brooks Jr. with an injury designation. The second-year safety was the favorite, seemingly, for most of the offseason to be their slot defender, but he appears to have suffered an injury that was more serious than was initially clear.