He might not be a starter right now, but that doesn’t mean that Pittsburgh Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. isn’t ready to contribute right away.
Head coach Mike Tomlin stated Tuesday he feels really good about the development of the Penn State product after a strong training camp and preseason. On Thursday, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson threw his support behind Porter as well, stating that he knows Porter is ready to step in right away for the Black and Gold.
Currently, Porter is listed as the backup to Peterson on the Steelers’ official depth chart, though he is expected to get some work in sub-package football.
“Joey is ready. Joey’s ready. He’s dialed down into the game plan. He’s getting better as far as understanding how a week goes in the NFL, as far as the preparation, as far as getting his body prepared, as far as what he has to do after practice getting the extra work in treatment, et cetera,” Peterson said to reporters, according to video via Steelers.com. “So I do, definitely. I know — I don’t think, I know — that he’s ready to get in there and make some plays for this defense.”
Coming out of college where he was a lockdown cornerback, Porter was ahead of the game as far as preparation goes, considering he is the son of a former NFL All-Pro in Joey Porter Sr. Porter was able to watch and learn from his father over the years, and that expectation and understanding of what it takes daily helped him hit the ground running in the NFL.
He started fast in training camp and carried it over into the preseason. He picked off a pass against the Buffalo Bills in his NFL debut at Acrisure Stadium, later handing the football to his father in the stands.
In two preseason games, Porter saw 53 snaps, grading out at a 65.9 overall and yielding two receptions on three targets for just 29 yards. He was flagged once for pass interference against the Atlanta Falcons and added three total tackles in the preseason.
While he’s still listed as a backup, Porter is going to have a sizable role quickly in 2023. Teammates and coaches have confidence in him, which is key. He has a great attention to details, understands the game plan and knows how to take care of his body. Having a guy like Peterson in his corner and stating his public belief is huge.
Hopefully Porter is able to pick up where he left off in the preseason and makes some impactful plays quickly for the Black and Gold.
