The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new regime in town now that Mike Tomlin is no longer their head coach. Mike McCarthy steps in with the tall task of trying to win in his first year with a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. Expectations are high, and the pressure is on as McCarthy begins shaping a roster capable of ending that long postseason drought.
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New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy on the sideline at Lambeau field in Green Bay, Wisconsin as he looks up at the replay board during his head-coaching tenure with the Green Bay Packers.
Now, in the 2026 season, McCarthy is carefully building out his roster. He and General Manager Omar Khan, along with other key decision-makers, are evaluating the team’s strengths and weaknesses to determine the best path forward. Several critical free-agent decisions loom, and the Steelers must weigh which players to retain and which to let go as they try to balance talent, salary cap considerations, and team chemistry.
Two players who have caught the attention of 93.7 The Fan are Asante Samuel Jr. and James Pierre. Both are free agents, and Steelers insider Mark Kaboly was asked on the show which one Pittsburgh is expected to keep. Kaboly offered his best guess based on the information available to him, giving fans a glimpse into how the new regime might handle these important roster decisions.
"One or the other," Kaboly said. "Probably, I would say bring back Samuel. Once again, there is just one guy on that defensive staff that even knows who James Pierre is."
The show’s hosts pushed back on the insider when he suggested that Samuel would be brought back instead of Pierre. Of course, there’s always the possibility that the new regime keeps both cornerbacks, but it seems far-fetched based on what Kaboly has clearly heard. Kaboly explained that it simply comes down to the fact that there’s a new regime in town.
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Steelers cornerbacks James Pierre (42) and Beanie Bishop (31) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Joey Porter Jr. had a career year in a season where he absolutely needed to and is likely to command whatever contract he wants. Now, the Steelers will be looking to shore up the depth opposite him and in the slot. Both Samuel and Pierre did solid jobs when called upon during the 2025 season.
Samuel impressed after joining Pittsburgh on a one-year prove-it deal. He actually started on the practice squad, but when given opportunities, he showed he is still an exciting young cornerback in the league. Now that the NFL world knows Samuel is both capable and healthy, it should strengthen his case, but it could also make it harder for the Steelers to get him at the best price.
New Steelers Coaches Don't Even Know Who James Pierre Is
Kaboly also believes it doesn’t help Pierre that he’s relatively unknown, especially with the new regime coming to town. Samuel is a known name and has proven he can still perform at the NFL level. It seems likely, then, that Pittsburgh would move on from Pierre. While he hasn’t always been great in Pittsburgh, he has fought for every chance and really started to impress in 2025, but the new leadership may favor keeping the established, proven player.
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Steelers' Asante Samuel Jr. celebrates with Derwin James after a big play during the 2022 playoffs as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Samuel first made his name in the NFL during his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, showing promise as a talented cornerback. After the team chose not to bring him back due to injury concerns, he got a fresh opportunity with Pittsburgh in 2025 and proved he is still capable. Steelers fans are hopeful he can return if the price is right. However, they will be sad if what Kaboly guessed is true involving Pierre's future.
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