Steelers Now
An NFL analyst believes one of the Pittsburgh Steelers free-agent signings could pay off big time.
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed several intriguing free agents to their roster this offseason, but an NFL analyst thinks one is above the rest.
Aaron Schatz of ESPN believes the Steelers’ addition of veteran cornerback Jamel Dean could be a sneaky good signing.
“We have a stat, coverage DVOA,” Schatz said on The Athletic Football Show. “The best coverage DVOA last year for an outside corner was Dean, of Tampa Bay, now with Pittsburgh. People did not realize what a good season he had.”
Dena, 29, could certainly turn out to be a great addition to the Steelers secondary. In 2025, he played in 14 games and recorded 46 tackles, one tackle for loss, two quarterback hits, one sack, two forced fumbles, nine passes defended and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown against the New York Jets.
He allowed just a 47.7 passer rating rating when targeted last season, and allowed just one touchdown, per Pro Football Focus.
“The cornerback coverage metric looks at every snap with a cornerback in coverage, and then how often he either allows a successful reception, earns a DPI penalty, or gets an interception,” Schatz continued. “The numbers are adjusted for opponent, and for where the receiver in question was lined up for the play.”
Dean also fits Pittsburgh’s mold at cornerback, standing at 6-foot-1, 206 pounds, and now gets to team up with cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and if Dean can continue playing at a high level in Pittsburgh, he could help form one of the best cornerback duos in the league.
Dean became a full-time starter midway through his second season, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV title at the end of the 2020 season. Since then, he has been a regular starter for the team over five seasons, almost exclusively playing at outside cornerback.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Praises Steelers Free-Agent Addition
