The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to sign former Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean, per Pete Schrager on The Pat McAfee Show.
Ian Rapoport posted the details on X. Dean is getting a three-year, $36.75 million contract from Pittsburgh to provide a much-needed veteran in that room.
James Pierre signed with the Minnesota Vikings, so Dean will join Joey Porter Jr., Brandin Echols, and newly-extended Asante Samuel Jr. as the top corners in the room. Jalen Ramsey is still on the roster, but may stay at the safety position after moving there in 2025.
Dean is entering his eighth season in the NFL. A third-round pick by the Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL Draft, Dean has started 77 games. He has 359 total tackles, 11 INTs, 61 passes defensed, seven TFLs, three forced fumbles, a sack, and two defensive TDs.
He had a solid 2025 season with a career-high three INTs, 46 tackles, a defensive TD, nine passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. The Steelers have always coveted turnover production, and Dean generated five last season. Pro Football Focus gave him an “elite” game grade of over 90.0 in two games last season. They have him down for allowing 25 receptions on 54 targets for 311 yards and a TD.
Coming out of Auburn in 2019, Dean measured in at 6010, 206 pounds with 31 3/4-inch arms. He ran a blazing-fast 4.30-second 40-yard dash and jumped a 41-inch vertical. He adds much-needed speed and athleticism to the secondary.
Dean had logged 4,672 snaps as a wide corner in his career compared to just 214 in the slot. With a reported $12.25 million per season, Dean will almost certainly start on the outside across from Porter.
The Steelers have done a good job using the first day of the legal tampering period to fill their two biggest needs, also trading for WR Michael Pittman Jr. Now they can enter the 2026 NFL Draft with a ton of draft capital in hand and draft the best player available rather than potentially reaching for need.