Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre will not play on Monday against the Miami Dolphins, he told Mike DeFabo of the Athletic.
Pierre suffered the injury at some point during the team’s win over the Baltimore Ravens and was initially listed as questionable to play, but did not practice this week, leading to him saying that he does not expect to suit up.
As a result of that, the Steelers will turn to Asante Samuel Jr., who they signed to be a critical depth piece of their secondary, to start in his place. It will be Samuel’s first start with the Steelers.
Pierre has continued to stand out, making plays all year and shutting down some top receivers since his promotion to starting cornerback.
Still on just a one-year deal, Pierre has played himself into a nice contract this offseason, and the Steelers could look to make him a priority re-signing in just a few months.
So much so, the Steelers will undoubtedly miss his presence in the lineup against a Dolphins team with plenty of speed and a propensity to attack outside the numbers in the passing game and run game. Samuel will have to step in and prove he can be a quality tackler.