The Pittsburgh Steelers defense picked another high-quality player last year, Joey Porter Jr. Pittsburgh had a weakness at the cornerback position, and Porter Jr. stepped up and filled the role of CB1. In year two, big things are expected out of the Penn State players. While he is the clear number one cornerback on the Steelers, Porter Jr. had a bold claim on where he ranks in the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers Joey Porter Jr. Bold Claim
Mark Kaboly of The Athletic asked Joey Porter Jr. after practice who he ranks as the best cornerback in the league. “Me for sure,” the Pittsburgh Steelers young star responded. He went on to elaborate on the answer.
“There are a lot of good DBs in this league. Nobody was doing what I was doing going against WR1s the entire year and locking him down. I don’t care if I am mentioned in there or not because they are going to hear my name eventually.”
His bold claim comes from his production against the top wide receivers in the league. Once he was in the starting lineup, the Pittsburgh Steelers had Joey Porter Jr. following the top receiver of the opposing offense. To his credit, he did not give up many big plays. According to Pro Football Focus, the talented corner only gave up 24 catches, 352 yards, and one touchdown on 58 targets. There are some issues that he needs to fix for the 2024 season.
Killer Penalties
Joey Porter Jr. did have a lot of penalties in 2023. He was penalized 12 times in the season, with over half of them being either pass interference or defensive holding. These are back-breaking penalties for a defense, as they can give up a chunk of yards or give the opposition an automatic first down. His physical style of play is good, except when it costs the team penalty yards.
This is a minor thing that the coaches of the Pittsburgh Steelers have to coach out of him. If he can eliminate the penalties, Joey Porter Jr. will likely enter the conversation of the league’s top cornerback. It would be a huge ascension for a player who wasn’t even in the starting lineup a year ago.
2024 Outlook
The Pittsburgh Steelers have so much talent on the defensive side of the ball. Joey Porter Jr. feels like icing on the cake for this unit. TJ Watt is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Minkah Fitzpatrick is still one of the top safeties in the game. Then, this team went out and got Patrick Queen in free agency. This will be a tough unit to score on in 2024.
As has been the case for the past half-decade, the offense is the huge question mark. The team will be relying on a solid running game and a resurgence from either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. The Pittsburgh Steelers have the defensive firepower to make a run in 2024. If the offense can at least be competent, this team could make a deep postseason run.
About The Author
Matt Brown is one of the owners at Total Apex. He has been writing about sports and entertainment for over two years and currently works as a banker in Wisconsin. His passion for sports and entertainment knows no bounds, but football is the sport he follows most closely. However, he is never afraid to branch out, and you will see him talk about anything sports with anyone who will listen.
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