The Pittsburgh Steelers made Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. the 32nd overall selection in the 2023 draft. That pick was technically a second-round selection with the Miami Dolphins forfeiting their first-round pick that year due to contract tampering related to QB Tom Brady. Porter exceeded expectations in his first season, rising to the level of CB1 by the midseason mark and shadowing opposing teams’ top receivers with great success. According to NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, the Steelers’ top priority this offseason is finding a “running mate for Joey Porter Jr.” Here is a bit of what Patra wrote:
“The rookie played sensational football down the stretch; now, the Steelers must find help on the opposite side. Patrick Peterson is turning 34 in July and wound up moving to safety by the end of the 2023 season. Levi Wallace, whom Porter replaced, is headed for free agency and will probably be allowed to walk…they should aggressively seek a veteran to pair opposite Porter. Swiping Chidobe Awuzie from rival Cincinnati would be a spicy move. Or perhaps a veteran who might be had at less cost, like Adoree’ Jackson.”
The Steelers started an overhaul at the position last offseason, allowing CB Cam Sutton to walk in free agency and signing veteran CB Patrick Peterson. They also drafted Porter along with CB Cory Trice Jr. in the seventh round. The early word on Trice was promising throughout his rookie offseason, but a non-contact ACL injury during training camp derailed his first season. Counting on contributions from Trice, who also suffered numerous injuries in college, is not a given.
With Peterson turning 34 in July and no longer having the athleticism to play outside corner, and CB Levi Wallace scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year in March, the Steelers absolutely need to solidify the position with additional talent this offseason.
The first opportunity to do so will be in free agency, where the Steelers have been linked to a couple of the top names, including Chicago Bears CB Jaylon Johnson and Kansas City Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed. For information on signing some of those top names, our Dave Bryan recently wrote up that while it’s not impossible, it’s unlikely the Steelers will make that kind of move with those players likely to command big dollars.
Given the situation, the Steelers very likely will add someone in free agency, but perhaps a lower-cost name while they shift their focus to the draft to replenish the position. Our Alex Kozora recently published his first seven-round mock draft on the site, and had the Steelers selecting Clemson CB Nate Wiggins in the first round. There are needs elsewhere—like solidifying the offensive line—but OL is one of the deepest groups in this year’s draft. Grabbing a top corner in the first round feels like the Steelers’ top priority prior to seeing what happens in free agency.
