Steelers Veteran Patrick Peterson Possibly Willing To Give Up Snaps For Rookie 2nd-Rounder Joey Porter Jr.

The time is coming for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. While he's seen just 86 (23%) defensive snaps in the first five games, he's performed admirably in those limited looks. He had the best play of his career to this point in Week 5, as he picked off Lamar Jackson in the fourth quarter en route to the team's comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Reports have been flying around about Porter getting more playing time, particularly moving into the starting lineup. 

Well, Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin once again dismissed those rumors earlier this week. For now, it seems like the team will continue to slowly ease him into more playing time. Austin and the coaching staff want to wait until the rookie is fully ready for extended snaps. In his podcast All Things Covered, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson admitted that it's inevitable that Porter will see more snaps, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to help the team.

"At the end of the day, we all know Joey [Porter] has to be on the field at some point. There ain't no secret and at the end of the day, it's a very, very long season, we're all in this thing together."

From the moment that the Steelers took Porter 32nd overall in April's NFL Draft, he's become a fan favorite. The connection is obvious, as his father Joey Porter Sr. spent eight seasons with the team. Peterson was one of the team's major signings this past offseason, but his on-field performance has been up-and-down so far. Even in the Week 5 victory in which the defense held the Ravens to just 10 points, the Steelers cornerbacks still struggled. 

The Ravens wideouts had five drops on the day, as they were consistently getting open against Peterson and Levi Wallace. That number may not even signify just how bad they were for Jackson on the day, as the Steelers were quite fortunate. Amongst 108 qualifying cornerbacks, Pro Football Focus hasn't been too kind to Peterson or Wallace, as they rank 72nd and 91st.

Who Will The Steelers Eventually Bench In Favor Of Porter?

One could argue that the Steelers should be moving Peterson around the secondary more, particularly as he has lost speed since his early playing days. That's something that Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette argued, as the team could use him at safety some or even nickel cornerback. On the flip side, the rookie Porter has allowed a zero passer rating in limited snaps. It's inevitable that he will enter the starting lineup by the end of the season.

Peterson has provided a ton of leadership to the team's locker room since signing with Pittsburgh. Specifically, he has taken the rookie Porter under his wing. It's something that he talked about right away on his podcast All Things Covered, as he did play with the rookie's father with the Arizona Cardinals. Peterson has become one of the core leaders of this 2023 team, as they enter the bye week atop the AFC North with a 3-2 record. 

Once the Steelers do start playing Porter more, which will come at some point in 2023, it will come at the expense of one of the veteran corners. Wallace seems like the more likely one to lose snaps due to the fact that he's on a cheaper contract and he's performed worse this season. Still, it's nice to see a guy like Peterson is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win, including lessening his snap count just so the rookie can play more.

Do you think the Steelers will lessen Peterson or Wallace's snaps moving forward? When will Porter become a full-time starter? Are you convinced that Porter can become a long-term answer at cornerback? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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