No longer a rookie with plenty of experience under his belt, Joey Porter Jr. will act a little differently his sophomore year. He’ll look a little different, too. Speaking with reporters Wednesday following a long offseason, Porter said he’s gained five pounds to make him stronger ahead of the 2024 season.
“I feel being at 205, I can be more physical in the run game, more physical on the line,” Porter said via The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski. “That’s what I’m shooting for.”
Exiting Penn State prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, Porter weighed in at 193 pounds. On a 6-2 frame with elite length, he was a lanky body type, with some questioning his strength and overall physicality. Porter said he played in the 198-200 pound range as a rookie. As a tackler, he improved throughout the year, cutting down his miss rate and getting more involved against the run.
Now the team’s clear No. 1 corner, he’s expected to continue shadowing top opposing wide receivers. That means battling against the offense’s best, often a bigger and more physical talent. Receivers that he’s slated to see this season include JaMarr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, and Terry McLaurin. All six are at least six feet tall, and nearly all of them weigh 200-plus pounds. Porter’s added size and strength will help.
Getting bigger and stronger will also prepare him to play an entire 17-game slate. As a rookie, the team eased Porter into the lineup, only playing him in dime packages over the first month. It wasn’t until the second half of Week 5 that he saw regular playing time, and Porter didn’t become a starter until Week 8. This year, he’ll be an every-down corner from the very first snap and must be mentally and physically prepared for it.
Beyond “shooting for” bigger and more physical, Porter will also look to make more splash. He picked off just one pass as a rookie, an end zone jump ball to help beat Baltimore. He also intercepted just one throw during his Penn State career. Corners shouldn’t be defined solely by interceptions. Porter made plenty of key plays in coverage, but the Steelers defense has routinely been near the top of the league in takeaways since DC Teryl Austin was hired.
If Porter can snag even three or four picks in addition to being a strong cover corner and reliable tackler, he’ll be in line to make his first Pro Bowl. Which will fatten up his wallet for that eventual payday in a couple of years.
