Last season, Joey Porter Jr. didn’t take the leap that some might have expected him to. After a solid rookie campaign, Porter looked like he would be a solid number one corner. While he wasn’t bad in 2024, some areas of his game still need some polish. Veteran Darius Slay sounds confident that Porter can be a stellar player in this league, and he is prepared to help Porter reach his potential.
“I think Joey [Porter Jr.] is a great [player],” Slay said Wednesday on The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio. “I’ve been watching this film a long time. I think it’s really time for him to shine. I’m just here to help him make sure he’s the best player he could possibly be.
“Give him all the tools that I had learned from a lot of my older guys and OGs I had played with in the league. So, I think it’s really his time. I think I’m here to help him blossom up. He’s already a great player as it is. Just help him continue to keep climbing to his ceiling.”
Porter is still a very young player at 24 years old. In his two seasons in the NFL, he’s shown a lot of potential. However, penalties have been his biggest hangup. Porter is a big, physical corner, and that’s on display often. That’s one of his biggest strengths, but sometimes, it gets him into trouble.
Slay has been in the league since 2013, and for much of that time, he’s been one of the best players at his position. He’s made six Pro Bowls and been named First-team All-Pro once. At 34 years old, he might take a step back this year, but his mind could still be a huge asset for the Steelers. Their secondary has a lot of young players, and since he signed in Pittsburgh, Slay has sounded excited about being a mentor.
If Slay can pass on some of what he knows to Porter, that should only benefit the young corner. However, he isn’t the only corner that Slay could help. The Steelers also seem to have high hopes for Cory Trice Jr., another corner going into his third year. Like Porter, Trice has rare size for the position. Injuries have held him back, but if he can stay healthy, he could be a solid player.
Trice made his limited action count last year. His first NFL interception helped seal Pittsburgh’s game against the Denver Broncos. The Steelers have had a tough time finding a consistent running mate for Porter. Trice could give them the answer to that problem.
Hopefully, Slay can be a good player on the field for the Steelers. However, helping to unlock Porter would provide a lot of value, too. With so many great wide receivers in the AFC North, having Porter become a lockdown corner would be a tremendous boon for the Steelers.
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