When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. with the first pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, many were hoping that they had secured their CB1 of the future. Through the first five weeks of the season, Porter has given Steelers fans plenty of optimism about his long-term future with the team, grading out as one of the best rookies in the league by Pro Football Focus. Porter has allowed just one reception for 12 yards on seven targets, adding a key interception against the Ravens and a pass breakup on the season.
Still, the coaching staff has been hesitant to fully give the reins over to Porter in terms of a starting job. He has played in just 86 defensive naps, rotating in with CBs Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace. Peterson and Wallace have taken their share of lumps so far as they both have been exposed in coverage by the likes of Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams, and Nico Collins. Wallace’s deal is up after this season and the 33-year-old Peterson appears to have lost a step, making it wise for the Steelers to pursue a long-term solution opposite Porter at cornerback as they continue to retool their secondary for the future.
Pittsburgh could go a variety of ways when it comes to finding an ideal long-term running mate for Porter. The easy way would be to look toward the NFL Draft and select a talented prospect like they did with Porter last year. The 2024 class isn’t short of promising prospects as mentioned in a previous article. Numerous corners possess great size, length, and athleticism to run and cover the top receivers on the outside.
Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins both stand over 6-foot-2 with long arms to match up man-to-man with the big, physical receivers in the league, having the speed and fluidity to stay sticky in coverage and contest passes near the sideline as well as in the red zone. There are also corners who possess great quickness and instincts to react quickly in space, like Porter’s former college teammate Kalen King and Iowa DB Cooper DeJean. Both move fluidly in coverage and have the mental processing to break on passes quickly, resulting in pass deflections or interceptions to complement Porter’s skill set on the other side.
The Steelers could also go the free agency route like they did with Wallace and Peterson, opting for a more athletic cover corner who has youth and experience working for him to give Pittsburgh a more experienced veteran to pair with Porter. New York Giants CB Adoree’ Jackson is a high-pedigree cover man that could intrigue Pittsburgh as a former first-round pick. Another former first-round selection who flamed out with the Lions after being drafted third overall out of Ohio State in 2020 is Jeff Okudah, getting traded to the Falcons this offseason. He’s played well thus far in Atlanta, allowing just a 50% completion rate and 51 scoreless yards on the year, according to Pro Football Reference. Should his market value be reasonable, Okudah would be a logical player for Pittsburgh to pursue at the ripe age of 25 next offseason.
Another name to consider that would be in-house option Cory Trice Jr. Trice fell to the Steelers in the seventh round of the draft due to medical concerns, and unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in training camp this preseason, putting an end to his rookie year before it really began. Injuries have been a constant for Trice dating back to high school, making it hard to rely upon him as a potential long-term solution. Still, Trice flashed a lot of promise throughout training camp before getting hurt. He impressed Patrick Peterson and other members of the team with his impressive length as well as his ball skills, making him a tantalizing player who could develop into a gem if he can get his health in order going forward.
Should Trice come back fully healthy, and Wallace walks in free agency this offseason, Trice could find himself in Porter’s current position: the corner who rotates in dime packages. This would allow Pittsburgh to bring Trice along slowly, giving him more and more as he continues to prove himself in his first year on the field. Should he play well and keep the injury bug away in 2024, Trice could start to take snaps away from Peterson on the outside, having Pittsburgh net two starting corners in the same draft class with Porter and Trice.
