The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Joey Porter Jr. in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping that the former Penn State cornerback would be able to lock down a side of the field. After a stellar rookie season that included a Defensive Rookie of the Year nomination, the Steelers would like nothing more than to shore up the rest of the secondary. With the recently acquired Donte Jackson across from Porter, Pittsburgh has an area of need at slot cornerback, and there just might be an answer among the remaining free-agent pool.
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Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. celebrates during a Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 9 game against the Tennessee Titans in 2023.
With Porter and Jackson in the starting cornerback roles, the Steelers would be looking to several young, albeit talented, defenders to fill the slot position. Darius Rush and Beanie Bishop Jr. will be competing to prove why they deserve that chance, but Cory Trice Jr. has put in an entire year of rehab to get another shot with Pittsburgh. While those options could prove successful, Pittsburgh may feel more comfortable bringing in someone with experience, and Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team sees potential between the Steelers Adoree' Jackson.
"One player who could make sense in Pittsburgh is Adoree' Jackson. He is a man-to-man cornerback with some inside-outside flexibility... He was overmatched as the Giants' No. 1 cornerback. Still, he could be a solid No. 2 cornerback on the right defense at this stage of his career... Pittsburgh could really use another starting-caliber cornerback on the cheap, and Jackson might be the best potential fit on the market."
Jackson came into the NFL as a highly-touted cornerback, so much so that the Tennessee Titans drafted him with the 18th overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. His production during his first two NFL seasons (2017-2018) may not as been as productive as the Titans would have hoped, but he was relatively healthy, starting 16 games in 2017 and 13 games in 2018. Unfortunately, 2019 was when the injury bug first bit Jackson and he never really regained his professional footing.
The former Titans first-round pick would miss extensive time during the 2019 season and nearly half of Tennessee's 2020 season. Then, more time due to injuries in both 2021 and 2022 with the New York Giants. Despite staying healthy for longer than he did in the past, Jackson dealt with concussion issues near the end of the Giants' 2023 campaign. Considering the unforgiving nature of Pittsburgh's 2023 season that saw injuries plague the defense throughout the season, the prospect of taking a chance on an oft-injured defensive back might give the Steelers cause to hesitate.
If Pittsburgh determines that Jackson is healthy enough to contribute on a regular basis, having a veteran cornerback with versatile experience could benefit the secondary as a whole. Porter won't have Patrick Peterson to be a veteran presence in 2024, and as impressive as Porter was in 2023, the sophomore leap can be quite a daunting one in the NFL. Jackson has the talent to be impactful on defense, but only if he can find a way to stay on the field consistently enough to make a splash.
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Cornerback Adoree' Jackson during his playing time with the New York Giants.
Steelers Betting On Porter In Year 2
While the slot cornerback position may still be in flux, the Steelers feel comfortable assigning Porter more responsibility in his second NFL season. The trade that sent Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers gave Porter a partner in crime, as Jackson should be up to the task of holding down his side of the field. Pittsburgh has been active throughout the 2024 offseason, but if the team feels like the answer is already on the roster, making another move to find that slot defender may not be in the plans.
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Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. during a bad weather game with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Porter had to earn his way into a starting role during the 2023 season, but his abilities combined with necessity due to Peterson's decline gave him the opportunity to show why he was drafted early.
If the Steelers have enough faith in Porter, despite only having one full NFL season under his belt, they could ease their slot choice into the mix while depending on Porter to pick up the slack along the way. It's one thing for a second-round pick to become a starter; it's another for a franchise to depend on you so early on.
Who will end up being the Steelers 2024 slot cornerback?
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