Player: CB Joey Porter Jr.
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: After missing a game for the first time in his career, Joey Porter Jr. is set to return. The Steelers may not have a chance to win the division by the time they kick off, but it’s still a big game. And they clearly missed him for most of the past two games while he was hurt. Getting him back, and having the team healthy, is key right now as they transition into the single-elimination tournament.
Outside of Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers have had a banged-up secondary of late. DeShon Elliott missed multiple games, Donte Jackson has dealt with injury throughout the year, and Joey Porter Jr. also missed a game for the first time in his NFL career.
From the sounds of Mike Tomlin in his weekly press conference, however, he expects a reversal of fortune. The Steelers got everybody else back healthy last week, and now Joey Porter Jr. will be available, too. The inconsistent personnel, particularly in the secondary, has been a big contributor to their defensive woes. While it’s not the sole factor in their communication issues, it’s certainly a big one.
Of course, the Steelers got everybody but Porter back last week and they still had issues. Porter returning alone won’t magically solve all the defense’s problems. But it will certainly give them a guy in the secondary they can count on. Even if he gets handsy, they know he can keep his guy close most of the time.
That is why the Steelers drafted him, and they have clearly missed him while he was out. It just goes to show how significant the drop-off is in their depth behind Porter. While any team will miss a beat without its top cornerback, the Steelers really struggled.
Granted, so many other things went wrong against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17 that had nothing to do with the cornerbacks. Many of the blown coverages, for example, came over the middle of the field. But make no mistake, Joey Porter Jr. is a key focal point of the Steelers’ defensive game plan every week. Having him back is a big deal.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
