The offseason rolls right along in the NFL with the second week of Organized Team Activities in the books for the Pittsburgh Steelers here in early June.
As the offseason rolls along, so, too does my offseason series of Ranking The Steelers Starters here for Steelers Depot. In case you missed it earlier in the week, I highlighted No. 24-22. Today, we’ll move on to No. 21-19.
This year, with so many new faces and some changes in the starting lineup, the list could look vastly different once again.
Before we dive into the next three starters ranked near the bottom in my rankings, I wanted to lay out my projected starters for the season as we draw nearer to training camp. Below, I went with 11 personnel and a three-receiver set offensively, while going with the Steelers’ sub-package defense.
*italics indicates players are already ranked in the series.
Offense
QB — Kenny Pickett
RB — Najee Harris
WR — George Pickens
WR – Diontae Johnson
WR – Allen Robinson II
TE — Pat Freiermuth
LT — Dan Moore Jr.
LG — Isaac Seumalo
C — Mason Cole
RG — James Daniels
RT – Chukwuma Okorafor
Defense
DE — Cameron Heyward
DE — Larry Ogunjobi
OLB — Alex Highsmith
ILB — Elandon Roberts
ILB — Cole Holcomb
OLB — T.J. Watt
CB — Patrick Peterson
CB — Levi Wallace
CB – Joey Porter Jr.
S — Minkah Fitzpatrick
S — Damontae Kazee
Specialists
K – Chris Boswell
P — Braden Mann
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the ranking so far here at Steelers Depot:
No. 24 — Braden Mann, P
No. 23 — Dan Moore Jr., LT
No. 22 — Levi Wallace, CB
Now, let’s dive into the Steelers’ starters, No. 21-19.
No. 21 — Joey Porter Jr., CB
I really debated Joey Porter Jr. with Levi Wallace at No. 22, but No. 21 overall in the series feels like a fair landing spot for the second-round rookie cornerback. It might seem a bit low for a guy many are high on overall, and I fully understand that this ranking could look rather silly by the end of his rookie season. But it’s very hard for me to place a rookie over more than a few established veterans.
Porter has the size, length and athleticism to be the new-age cornerback that the Steelers have been coveting in recent years. He has the physicality that will fit in well with the Steelers’ system and is going to play a lot of press-man coverage for the Black and Gold for years to come.
If he hits the way many expect him to, it would not be surprising to see him jump into the top 12 of this series this time next year.
The sky is the limit for Porter, but for now he’s low in the rankings.
No. 20 — Elandon Roberts, ILB
If you’ve been reading my pieces here at Steelers Depot over the years, you know I’m a big, big fan and believer in Elandon Roberts as a run-stopping linebacker. He brings physicality on every play, setting the tone for every defense he’s been on. The Steelers have been missing that at the inside linebacker position since Vince Williams retired. Roberts aims to correct that.
While he’s a solid run-stopping inside linebacker, he’s really only a two-down linebacker in today’s game due to his issues in coverage. He’s much better working downhill, attacking, rather than trying to drop into space or carrying tight ends and slot receivers vertically. Those struggles in coverage knock him a bit.
That said, I truly believe he’ll be an impact run-down linebacker right away for the Steelers.
No. 19 — Allen Robinson II, WR
The Steelers did well to acquire Allen Robinson II via trade with the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. They shored up the wide receiver depth chart overall, landing an experienced No. 3 to work behind the likes of Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. Robinson certainly has the resume and pedigree of a top-flight receiver and should pair nicely with Pickens rotating between the slot and the boundary where he can win with his route running and physicality.
On paper, he’s a great fit with the Steelers and a good veteran wide receiver to bring in for second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett. However, he’s coming off two rather poor seasons in Chicago and Los Angeles and seems to be slowing down some after nearly a decade in the NFL.
Maybe the move to Pittsburgh is a career rejuvenation for the former Penn State star, who will turn 30 years old ahead of the 2023 season.
