Ike Taylor knows what it’s like to get better as an NFL corner. Sometimes, it means taking your lumps. But if there’s a time to do it, it’s during training camp. As the old adage goes, iron sharpens iron and in the latest episode of his Bleav In Steelers podcast with co-host Mark Bergin, Taylor said rookie CB Joey Porter Jr. will quickly grow up this summer.
“It’s the competition he’s going against in practice,” Taylor told the show. “Lucky for JP Jr., he has Diontae Johnson, who might be one of the best underrated route runners in the game. You’ve got Calvin Austin III, who might be one of the fastest wide receivers in the game. And you have ‘Alien,’ George Pickens, who’s probably one of the freakiest wide receivers in the game.”
Pittsburgh has boosted its wide receiver room this offseason. Partially from true additions like trading for Allen Robinson II, partially from now-healthy players like Austin, and partially from improving players like Pickens. As Taylor notes, the Steelers have different styles of wide receivers for Porter to deal with. Johnson is crafty and nuanced with YAC ability, Austin a speedster, and Pickens a jump-ball machine. Porter will have to deal with those guys this summer, though he might not see as much of Austin if he’s mostly confined to the slot.
Camp is the time to learn and make mistakes. Having your hands full in the summer will make the transition to regular season action that much easier.
Taylor made the comparison to what Porter will experience with what he went through early in his career, facing Plaxico Burress, Hines Ward, and Antwaan Randle El. In some ways, that was his own version of Pickens (Burress), Austin (Randle El), and Johnson (Ward…though that’s stretching it. At least both were sorta crafty). Taylor said he’d focus on matching up against one of those receivers in practice based on the opponent he’d most likely face in a game that week. So if it was a big guy, he’d line up against Burress. If it was a tough, possession-type, he’d see more reps against Ward.
Taylor was a rotational player and backup his first two years before becoming a starter in his third season. Porter’s timeline should be much quicker than that — rookies in general play much earlier than they used to — but the summer principles are all the same.
“Once JP understands that, depending on the day, depending on what I want to work on, let me work on these types of bodied-receivers. To [improve] my game,” Taylor said.
Still, facing quality competition in practice alone doesn’t guarantee success. Believe it or not, Artie Burns had some of the top battles against Antonio Brown and it didn’t make him any better when the games counted. But the core idea remains the same and has value. Facing the Steelers’ receivers throughout the summer is a great warmup to what NFL action will bring.
