Steelers' James Pierre trying to become 2nd member of extended family to make impact in AFC North

Rivals in the AFC North on the field, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre are family away from it.

Jackson and Pierre grew up in neighboring communities along the Atlantic coast of Florida: Jackson in Pompano Beach; Pierre six miles away in Deerfield Beach.

Pierre said he and Jackson are first cousins who played on the same youth football teams. Jackson threw the passes. Pierre caught them.

On the subject of speed, Pierre made it clear who would win a foot race. It’s not the former first-round draft pick and NFL MVP.

“Straight up,” Pierre said. “I was the jet guy. He was the quarterback. He would agree.”

That remains to be seen. What isn’t debatable is their standing on their respective teams. While Jackson is the cog around which the Ravens offense is centered, Pierre is trying to establish himself as the Steelers’ No. 3 outside corner, a player who would take the field when Cam Sutton moves to the slot in the nickel defense.

With the Steelers deploying a slot corner on about 75% of defensive snaps in recent seasons, finding a capable player to step in for Sutton at right corner is imperative, provided the Steelers don’t elect to keep Sutton outside and find an alternative inside.

Based on the reps Pierre has earned in recent weeks – he was the first cornerback off the bench when Joe Haden left after one series Saturday night against Detroit – the job could be his to lose.

“He’s done well,” said Teryl Austin, the Steelers senior defensive assistant in charge of the secondary. “He has a ways to go still as a player, and he’s learning, but all signs are pointing up for James. He works his tail off, he competes hard, he’s tough.

“He’ll continue to get better. When he’s good enough to put in there, time will tell. I think he’s working in the right direction.”

The Steelers have one more preseason audition before ramping up attention for the regular season opener Sept. 12 at Buffalo. That gives the Steelers less than three weeks to decide if they are comfortable opening the season with the second-year undrafted free agent playing a heavy role in the defensive scheme.

“I always feel comfortable,” Austin said. “I like our guys. It’s a matter of where we put them. I think we’re going to have enough good guys to put out there to play for us. I’m not worried about that. I just want to make sure we have the guys in the right positions.”

Despite taking the most difficult path to making the Steelers roster, given his status as an undrafted player who didn’t benefit from a preseason schedule in 2020, Pierre leaped former third-round pick Justin Layne on the depth chart late in the season.

Limited to nine defensive snaps through the first 15 games, Pierre logged 18 in the season finale at Cleveland. And, with Haden missing the playoff loss to the Browns because of covid-19, Pierre played eight more snaps.

“He’s been getting better and better ever since I first saw him,” Haden said. “He listens to coaching, he’s long, he’s fast, and he’s just been making plays on the ball. He’s in the right position. He’s scrappy and loves the game.”

At 6-foot-2, Pierre is tied with two others as the tallest defensive back in training camp. A two-year starter at Florida Atlantic, Pierre left school in 2020 with a year of eligibility remaining. The risk didn’t pay off in terms of being drafted, but the Steelers swooped in an added him to their offseason roster.

Pierre was the only undrafted free agent to make the 53-man roster in the covid-shortened training camp. Ever since, he has used his tenuous status as motivation.

“Every day I think about it,” he said. “I never look back. I have to get ahead, attack each day and work at it.”

In a perfect setting, Pierre will line up twice this season across the line of scrimmage from his cousin. The thought has crossed Pierre’s mind, though he’s not ready to publicly admit to it.

“I’m just working hard every day,” he said, a smile crossing his face.