Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert suggested James may be re-signed this offseason, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.
James may want to survey the league after he played second fiddle to Vance McDonald in 2018, but it's hard to imagine many teams would view the 24-year-old as much more than a high-end No. 2 tight end. The 2015 fifth-round pick did add an element of occasional explosiveness to his game last season, piling up a career-best 423 yards despite seeing his fewest targets (39) since his rookie season. James produced 14.1 yards per catch to improve his career mark to a measly 9.9, but he didn't actually have much of an impact in the passing game after his 5-138-1 receiving line against Kansas City in Week 2. Given the poor alternatives at his position in the upcoming class of free agents, James could cash in with a surprisingly large contract if he finds one or two teams that view him as a starter. McDonald is under contract in Pittsburgh through 2021.