One of the most entertaining battles of the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp has been WR George Pickens vs rookie CB Joey Porter Jr. The two have been battling every day, with Porter winning some days and Pickens winning others. Today, DL Cameron Heyward revealed that this battle was a plan head coach Mike Tomlin hatched during the pre-draft process.
In a new episode of his podcast Not Just Football, Heyward said Porter was the rookie who has stood out the most to him and that the battles between him and Pickens are making both of them better.
“I think Joey Porter Jr. has really stood out from the very beginning,” Heyward said. “He got thrust in there right away, but what he’s done is competed on every rep. Him going against George Pickens, I remember Mike T even bringing it up during the drafting process. He said, ‘If we get a kid like JJ, I’m gonna put him against George Pickens every chance I get because it’s just gonna create one of those good rivalries.’ Those Ike Taylor versus AB [Antonio Brown] type of matchups where they’re battling every single day and they’re making each other better. JJ’s got a long way to go, but I love his savviness and willingness to step up right away.”
Porter, a lengthy cornerback, is the perfect match up for Pickens and vice versa. Pickens’ strength is jump balls so he has to fight against Porter’s 80 7/8-inch wingspan, and Porter has to go up against the best jump ball receiver in the NFL.
While Pickens isn’t a top-10 receiver yet, his ceiling is limitless and there is a chance he enters that top 10 this season. Porter having to go up against him in training camp will only make him better come the regular season. And so far in camp, Porter is impressing all the right people and is always one of the first players on the field working on his craft.
Heyward mentions that Tomlin said an Antonio Brown vs Ike Taylor matchup is a good example of what Porter vs. Pickens can be. Taylor was still one of the better corners in the NFL in Brown’s early years and the two would consistently be matched up with each other in training camp drills. This helped Brown become one of the best receivers of all-time.
It’s intriguing that Tomlin envisioned a Porter vs. Pickens matchup before even drafting Porter. Obviously, Porter needed to drop to Pittsburgh, but when he was on the board at pick No. 32 he was quickly drafted. Tomlin is a great coach and knows how to set up certain matchups to make each player better.
The way Tomlin can look ahead is impressive and it could help the Steelers to have an elite wide receiver and cornerback on their hands. In a passing league, this can go a long way toward bringing home a Super Bowl.
there is a long way to go, but so far Porter looks like a steal at the top of the second round. If he continues to impress and even wins more reps against Pickens, it won’t be long until he becomes a starting cornerback for the Steelers. And when he does, he could play a big impact on how far the team goes.
