Steelers Now
A former quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers thinks the team’s best move of the offseason is clear.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have added several new faces to their team this offseason, but former quarterback Charlie Batch believes the team’s best move may be overlooked.
Batch thinks the Steelers’ free-agent signing of cornerback Jamel Dean is their best to date.
“I’m gonna go with that because you needed to secure the backend,” Batch said on his Snap Count podcast. “They needed to stabilize that secondary, and I think having him be the opposite side corner, I think that’s gonna be something that we all get excited about because this guy proved he can get it done, has the tape to back it up.”
Dean is certainly a very intriguing addition to the Steelers secondary. He fits Pittsburgh’s mold at cornerback, standing at 6-foot-1, 206 pounds, and now gets to team up with Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who he has been keeping an eye on for the past few years.
“I like his game,” Dean said. “He’s physical at the line of scrimmage. He has great technique. So I’ve been watching him from afar, like appreciate how he plays the game.”
Dean is also still playing at a very high level, despite turning 30 this season. 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.
Only time will tell if Dean can continue playing at that level in Pittsburgh, but if he does, the Steelers will have 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’s been a regular starter for the team over five seasons, almost exclusively playing at outside cornerback.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Ex-NFL QB Names Steelers Best Move of Offseason
