Pittsburgh Steelers football is back. On Thursday, the team returned to Latrobe for training camp. Just over a month ago, rookie seventh-round cornerback Cory Trice Jr. was the one that stole the show at OTAs and minicamp. The Purdue product made several eye-opening plays in the early summer portions, which has everyone thinking he's a lock for the 53-man roster.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was a standout from Day 1 of training camp in Latrobe, which will only raise the expectations for 2023.
The other rookie corner? Well, he's lighting up at Day 1 of training camp. That would be Joey Porter Jr., who has made several big plays in Thursday's practice. Porter was one of the very first players to come out to the practice field on Thursday. He was also one of the last rookies to sign his deal, as the two sides didn't agree to terms until Tuesday, just a day before the team reported to Latrobe.
With that out of the way now, he can focus on becoming a starter for the Steelers this upcoming season. Our very own Brandon "B Wall" Wallace will be in Latrobe for the duration of training camp. Several other defensive backs made their presence felt at practice on Thursday, whether it was for good reasons or bad. Journeyman Elijah Riley heads into training camp on the bubble, as he will need an impressive month to make the Week 1 roster. B-Wall's winner for Thursday's practice session? You guessed it, Elijah Riley.
Riley was probably my standout today. He had the early INT and the Steelers look like they want to use him on defense in some capacity (slot or safety).
— B-Wall (@BWall) July 27, 2023
Rudolph and Calvin really struggled today, but it’s EARLY! I’m not worried. It’s only Day 1.
Kenny looked great. #HereWeGo
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation.com (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers defensive back Elijah Riley seems to present some versatility that the defensive coaches love.
He had a key interception on Thursday, and it seems like the team was playing him a bit of all over the place. The defensive back is versatile, as he can play safety as well as some cornerback. ESPN's Brooke Pryor recently included him in her 53-man roster prediction, somewhat of a slight surprise. So far, the returns on that prediction seem to be quite good.
Who will be Steelers' nickel CB in 2023?
The Steelers have a noticeable hole at the nickel cornerback position, and Riley could be an underrated competitor for that spot. Arthur Maulet held that position for the past two seasons, but the team released him just over two months ago. Earlier this week, he signed with an AFC North rival in the Baltimore Ravens. Speaking of the nickel, the team seems to be open to trying anyone at that position.
While Chandon Sullivan seems to be the favorite just based off his experience, there seems to be another name to keep an eye on. That would be Duke Dawson, who was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Since then, the Florida product has struggled to stay healthy, as he's appeared in just 26 career games.
Brian Westerholt / AP
Steelers cornerback Duke Dawson has the talent to make the 53-man roster, but he will have to fight off several other DBs to make the Week 1 squad.
General manager Omar Khan mentioned Dawson's name a few months ago when asked about the hole at the nickel position. On Thursday, Dawson saw reps with the first team in the slot. It's early, but he seems like a legitimate name to watch as the next few weeks go on. Stay tuned to Steeler Nation for your updates throughout training camp and be sure to give B-Wall a follow on Twitter!
Who do you think will ultimately win that nickel cornerback position for the Steelers? Do you think Riley ends up making the Week 1 53-man roster? Will Porter start right away in Week 1? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
#SteelerNation
