Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. isn't lacking confidence. The former Penn State Nittany Lion recently declared himself the best cornerback in the NFL. It's obviously a huge stretch considering he's played just one season, but Porter Jr. could establish himself as a top-10 cover man in the league with a standout sophomore campaign.
"Me for sure," Porter Jr. responded following a recent OTA practice when asked who the best cornerback in the NFL was last season. "Nobody was doing what I was doing going against No. 1 wide receivers the entire year and locking them down. I don’t care if I am mentioned there or not because they are going to hear my name eventually.”
Porter Jr. was forced to earn the trust of Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff as the 2023 season progressed. The 23-year-old cornerback played just 21 combined snaps in Weeks 1 and 2. After briefly seeing an uptick in the contest that followed, Porter Jr. played 10 snaps in Week 4. He didn't officially enter the starting lineup until Week 8.
There's no denying that Porter Jr. performed at an incredibly high level once he established himself as an every-down defender. He allowed a completion on just 47.4% of his targets in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus. That ranked No. 1 among all qualifying cornerbacks that had 50 or more targets thrown in their direction.
Joey Porter Jr allowed a completion on just 47.4% of his targets in 2023
— PFF (@PFF) May 28, 2024
LOWEST among all CBs with 50+ targets 🔒
Put some respect on his name 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/f48a1jEG3P
Porter Jr. was credited with allowing 50-plus receiving yards in just two of his 17 appearances during his rookie season. One of those occurred in his first career start against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8 when Travis Etienne scored a 56-yard touchdown on a coverage bust. It was the only touchdown Porter Jr. was credited with allowing all season long. Chalk it up as a learning experience.
Porter Jr. got significantly better as the season moved forward. Quarterbacks saw a passer rating of just 68.8 when testing his coverage abilities. The Steelers are counting on a repeat performance in 2024.
General manager Omar Khan arguably entered the offseason needing a proper fit opposite Porter Jr. at boundary cornerback. Khan's lone notable acquisition at cornerback entering the 2024 NFL Draft was Donte Jackson, who arrived from the Carolina Panthers in the trade that sent receiver Diontae Johnson the other way. The Steelers somewhat surprisingly didn't end up drafting a cornerback until the sixth round (Texas' Ryan Watts).
The Steelers also ended up signing veteran cornerback Anthony Averett after a successful rookie minicamp tryout. Former West Virginia cornerback Beanie Bishop joined the roster via undrafted free agency. They project to have a minimum impact on the 2024 defense.
Confident words from Joey Porter Jr 👀 pic.twitter.com/H4uYnfjBhD
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) May 28, 2024
Porter Jr. may have entered the 2023 season as the third-best cornerback behind Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace, but neither player remains on the roster heading into 2024. Porter Jr. will be the unquestioned No. 1 cornerback this season. Opposing offenses will treat him accordingly.
A first Pro Bowl nod and maybe even an All-Pro appearance are within the realm of possibility for Porter Jr. this season. He feels incredibly confident in his abilities. All that remains is for Porter Jr. to dignify his claims via his 2024 on-field performance.
