The Pittsburgh Steelers ended the 2024 season with more questions than answers about how good everything truly is with the team. It doesn't matter that they looked great with a 10-3 start. They lost five games in a row and choked away the season, and that is the primary story of their 2024 campaign. Bringing in new faces could help fix the problems, but that's not the only thing that needs to happen. There still needs to be change and improvements made internally, with players taking that next step, and coaches learning what they did wrong.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith celebrate a win postgame.
While making an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, insider Mark Kaboly was asked about the cornerback position. While they could still use some help in free agency, Kaboly brought up one particular thing that they want to see internally.
"I think Joey Porter was a guy that, for this defense - to be as well as they think they can be - I think he needs to make that jump like he thought he was going to make [in 2024] where he was referring to himself as Sauce Gardner in May last year," explained Kaboly. "He played pretty well. Not as well as he hoped to be. I think he needs a big jump. You get a big jump there, then the other side, you need to have an average player."
Joey Porter Jr. burst onto the scene in 2023 as a lockdown press corner that allows no separation. His breakout game came in Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans, when he lined up against their top receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, and forced a completion percentage under 50% when he was targeted.
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Joey Porter Jr. grabs on to DeAndre Hopkins in the Steelers' Week 9 contest against the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Porter had some problems in 2024. It didn't help that his partner on the other side of the field kept getting injured, but his allowed completion percentage shot up from Year 1 to Year 2. He still has potential to be an elite cornerback that never gets targeted, but he has some work to do before reaching that point.
Even though Head Coach Mike Tomlin probably calls too many zone coverage plays, Porter still needs to improve in that spot. He may be great at press man, but Tomlin can't call that same scheme 100% of the time. Some say Tomlin needs to adjust more towards his players' preferred scheme, but Porter needs to work on his head coach's as well. Both statements can be true, and they are in this case.
Penalties on the road severely hurt Porter as well. The massive gap in the home/away splits is surprising, but he still needs to adjust accordingly. He can be grabby and handsy for the first chunk, but after that, he needs to know when to put his hands on the receiver and when not to. If he can figure that out, he can be a much more efficient man coverage corner.
If Porter can be that lockdown cornerback that he expects himself to be, it makes life easier on the rest of the defense. It's hard on any offense to operate without their top wideout, and it opens up big play opportunities for other players. That's why Donte Jackson and Beanie Bishop Jr. were both in the top 10 in the NFL in interceptions.
Steelers' Future Cornerback Room
Jackson will most likely leave the team in free agency, which opens up a hole opposite of Porter. Cory Trice Jr. has shown some ability to play CB2, but he is very injury prone and has very little NFL experience. He plays a very similar style as the young star; he just needs to stay on the field.
The Steelers will likely sign another corner to help out, whether it's someone like Rasul Douglas who can assist at every position in the secondary, or a pure outside cornerback like Jaire Alexander. They have options, and if Porter continues to grow, those options grow as well.
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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. after a crucial interception off of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets in 2024.
Bishop will stick around in the slot, although the team will likely get him some help so he doesn't have to be in that spot full-time. He will also be expected to take a step forward in his second season in the NFL. He didn't have much of a camp competition in 2024 due to injuries across the board, so that will be expected to change for training camp in 2025.
What do you think about Porter taking that "big jump" in his third year in the NFL? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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