Joey Porter Jr. spent his first two training camps battling George Pickens, but a new challenger has entered the chat. That would be DK Metcalf, the Steelers’ new No. 1 WR, and Porter hopes to have the same arrangement. I’m sure he’ll get exactly what he asks for, too—it’s all part of the plan.
Asked if he expects to cover Metcalf in training camp a lot, Porter said, “I would hope so”, via the Steelers’ website. “Unless one of us is not practicing. But hopefully I get to see him every day in practice, get that good work in. I can’t complain about that”.
During his rookie season, Porter found himself on the wrong side of a viral moment in training camp. Pickens, then in his second season, made a highlight-reel catch over him, even though Porter had solid coverage. The moment earned national attention, but Porter took it in stride. Metcalf is amply capable of making highlight-reel catches himself, so he’ll have to be on his fundamentals.
“I’ve gone against him my rookie year”, Porter said about his previous matchup against Metcalf. “It was a good matchup. He’s a big, physical guy that could run pretty fast, got great hands. He’s a great wide receiver that’s been in this league for a long time. I’m just always happy to go against those type of talents, because I know what I want to accomplish on my side. So, I love it”.
The Steelers selected Joey Porter Jr. in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They brought him along gradually, only starting full-time around the middle of his rookie season. After failing to take a significant step forward as a second-year player in 2024, the coaches are on him. And if that means making him cover DK Metcalf in training camp, so be it.
One of Porter’s primary issues has been playing clean, even when he doesn’t have to commit infractions. No game better illustrates that than his battle with Bengals WR Tee Higgins last year. He drew about half a dozen penalties or so for holding and pass interference, some of which seemed to be a product more of panic than necessity.
It’s a problem he is aware of and is working on, though he is not blaming his gloves. Porter is hungry to be great, and he knows he isn’t there yet. Playing against great talents in practice is just one piece of the puzzle. George Pickens provided him one challenge, and DK Metcalf will represent another.
But it will also be beneficial for him to go against a range of wide receivers with different repertoires. Porter will see a completely different look from Calvin Austin III, for example, whom Metcalf called a “jitterbug”.
When the Steelers drafted Artie Burns, they sicced Antonio Brown on him. The Steelers are not alone in valuing these matchups, which they frame as “iron sharpens iron”. But young Joey Porter Jr. is at the center of one of their biggest projects in this regard. They need him to be that lockdown cornerback, and DK Metcalf is just another tool to help him get there.
