Will the Steelers move James Pierre ahead of Darius Slay on the depth chart?
Once an afterthought, James Pierre has stepped up for the Steelers’ defense, as Darius Slay has continued to decline. Out on Sunday due to a concussion, one has to wonder if Slay will ever see his previous workload again. The Steelers brought him in to be an every-down starting outside cornerback, but he hasn’t lived up to the promise.
Slay may not be what he once was, but for most, Pierre would be considered a never-was. I’m not going to regurgitate his history, but there’s a reason he has only previously ever played due to injury. Regardless of what either has done in years past, though, one player is the better performer now.
If the Steelers and HC Mike Tomlin are being honest with themselves, they’ll see that James Pierre has outperformed Darius Slay. That doesn’t guarantee those things will remain true, but it does open the door for a discussion. Might the defense be better off if Pierre assumes a starting role and Slay fades into a reserve position? And would the team be willing to act on that?
Aside from Slay and Pierre, there’s also the Asante Samuel Jr. factor. A still-young career starter, Samuel is currently on the practice squad. The Steelers signed him last week after he received medical clearance to return to football. But is it just a matter of time before they plug him into the lineup, or is he just depth right now?
If he is the latter, then they have to make a decision about what the starting lineup should look like. Is Joey Porter Jr., James Pierre, and Brandin Echols their best lineup, with Darius Slay on the bench? Pierre is playing the best football of his career, and Slay is playing the worst. Which pattern is more likely to continue through the rest of the season?
Neither of them is going anywhere this year, and neither is guaranteed to return next year. But with Jalen Ramsey now at safety, they need an answer. Slay has the resume, but not the tape. Pierre has the opposite, at the moment, but is he just on a hot streak? It’s not often that someone suddenly comes into his own in Year 6.
After another disappointing season and months of retooling, the Steelers are set to try it all again in 2025. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers isthe quarterback question. They settled in on Aaron Rodgers, but we still have a lot to learn about him. The2025 NFL Draft class could play a big role, but veteran additions like Jalen Ramsey will be paramount.
Now we are in the regular season. From Rodgers to George Pickens to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ramsey, we’ve seen the Steelers make some big changes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and figuring out how it all works out.
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