NFL Insider: Steelers Joey Porter Jr.'s Is 'On A Rocket Ship' To Stardom
NFL Insider: Steelers Joey Porter Jr.'s Is 'On A Rocket Ship' To Stardom
The Pittsburgh Steelers had some questionable play in the secondary during the 2023 season. A lot of that had to do with the safety position being ravaged by injuries and Damontae Kazee's late-season suspension, but there was also subpar play from starters. Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson both struggled at cornerback. Thankfully, Joey Porter Jr. had a spectacular rookie season, where he quickly earned the reputation of being a lockdown defender.
Pittsburgh has been desperate to find a franchise cornerback, and it looks like their 2023 second round pick is exactly that. Porter started the 2023 season as a backup, seeing limited playing time. He burst onto the scene in Week 2 when he made the game-sealing pass breakup against the Cleveland Browns, but didn't start his first game until Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Former NFL scout, Daniel Jeremiah, spoke about the Steelers secondary and Porter on the Move The Sticks Podcast as he ranked the unit the best in the AFC North.
"Minkah [Fitzpatrick], just steady. Reliable. The leadership. The production. Everything about him I love. I think Joey Porter Jr. is on a rocket ship. I really do. I had a chance to watch him in training camp last year, it had nothing to do with his dad, but I was like this guy gets it. Looks like a Steeler, plays like a Steeler. He's gonna be really, really good man."
Minkah Fitzpatrick had the worst season of his NFL career in 2023, mainly due to injuries. He was rarely at 100 percent, and when he was he was forced to play out of position because of how the Steelers safety group was picked apart by injuries. He has been a good leader to young players like Porter, who is looking to keep his success going into his second season.
Porter is entering his first full season as a starter, and is expected to be following the opposing team's best receivers around all season long. This was a habit he began doing against the Tennessee Titans, when he followed DeAndre Hopkins around for the majority of the game. Porter's impressive play in 2023 led to him being named a finalist for the NFL's Defensive Rookie Of The Year award.
The second year player will be put to the test in 2024. He is scheduled to have to take on some of the best receivers in the league like Ja'Marr Chase, Amari Cooper, Drake London, CeeDee Lamb, AJ Brown, and Davante Adams. Adams gave Porter his biggest test during his rookie season, and the young corner has already spoken about his excitement to get revenge against one of the league's elite receivers.
Pittsburgh also upgraded the corner position by trading for Donte Jackson, who will be a nice compliment to Porter on the opposite side of the field. Jackson's blazing speed and experience could only help Pittsburgh's secondary in 2024. They also improved their tackling at safety by signing DeShon Elliott, who makes the defense less vulnerable against the run.
Steelers Still Have Questions In The Secondary
Despite a star-studded secondary with Fitzpatrick and Porter, there is still some uncertainty in the secondary. The organization recently signed Cam Sutton, who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Steelers. He was released from the Detroit Lions following the 2023 season due to legal issues, and could be facing a suspension.
Sutton had a rough year in 2023, as the Lions tried to play him at outside corner. He is naturally a slot corner, and excelled in the position with Pittsburgh in the past. If he can pick up where he left off, the Steelers secondary could be flawless. However, Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin would need to find an appropriate backup to replace Sutton in the games he will miss due to his impending suspension.
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