Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.
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The bar is set high for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in 2025-26.
As the 2025-26 NFL season approaches, the Pittsburgh Steelers will look quite a bit different than they did last year. Not only is there a new quarterback in town, but Teryl Austin’s defense experienced significant change.
Ironically, it’s one of the preexisting players who’s getting buzz. With Week 1 on the horizon, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is reemerging as a key piece for Pittsburgh’s defense.
If Porter doesn’t progress in year three, the Steelers’ offseason moves won’t look as smart. Head coach Mike Tomlin seems acutely aware of that.
Mike Tomlin Expecting Big Things From Joey Porter Jr. in 2025
Speaking to the media before the Labor Day weekend, Tomlin outlined his expectations for Porter.
“It’s a big year for him,” Tomlin said. “Year three, man. He’s really excited about it. I think it’s really good to have some established veterans around him that have kind of been over some of the ground that he aspires to cover. Guys like Jalen [Ramsey] and [Darius] Slay are really helpful to him in terms of just having been there and done that. He’s had a good process. I think the company he keeps, those two savvy veterans, has a lot to do with it as well.”
Porter getting back to his rookie-year form would be a step in the right direction. In 17 regular-season games that year, the second-rounder recorded 10 passes broken up en route to placing fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Advanced metrics liked his output, too. He posted healthy Pro Football Focus grades for overall defense (65.2) and coverage (67.9) on the year.
2024 was a letdown. First and foremost, Porter placed 161st and 150th in respective PFF grades for overall defense and coverage. Not only that, but he continued to struggle with penalties. A multitude of defensive holding and pass interference calls limited his effectiveness. That, in turn, placed more pressure on his Steelers teammates to be perfect.
As everyone knows, last year’s secondary was far from that. Now, without Minkah Fitzpatrick in the fold, they’re attempting to right the ship with Porter’s improvement leading the way.
Assessing the Steelers’ Secondary Entering the Regular Season
Luckily, Porter won’t be alone this year. Even post-Fitzpatrick, the Steelers have plenty of options to assist in fortifying the back end. Two of them, Ramsey and Slay, were acquired this offseason.
Ramsey is widely regarded as one of football’s most versatile chess pieces. Despite now being on the wrong side of 30, Pittsburgh is working to get the most out of him. Spending more time in the slot or at a safety alignment could boost that. Slay, too, is attempting to stave off Father Time for another year. The 34-year-old already has plans to help Porter flourish.
Elsewhere at cornerback, offseason signing Brandin Echols has become a Tomlin favorite in recent months. At safety, Fitzpatrick is being replaced by a collective of players. Three of them — DeShon Elliott, Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark — will play varying roles. Clark was released prior to 53-man roster cutdowns but is now back in the fold.
Think about this: Pittsburgh’s 2025-26 depth chart is so loaded that someone like cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. couldn’t find a spot to begin the year. That’s a scary thing for opposing coordinators to think about.
A lot of this group depends on how Porter grows in his junior NFL campaign, though.