It appeared as if Pittsburgh Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. would earn his first career start in Week 5. All signs pointed in that direction for a multitude of reasons, particularly as the Steelers begin to give the rookies more and more looks. The team's starting cornerbacks have struggled through four weeks, led by veterans Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Patrick Peterson has provided the Steelers with a much-needed veteran presence, but his on-field play has left a lot to be desired.
All of that led up to Andrew Fillipponi's report on 93.7 The Fan that it was an expectation within the building that Porter would start in Week 5. Well, not so fast. According to Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin, Porter isn't exactly a full-time starter quite yet. While he did say that the rookie is trending in the right direction, it seems he's not quite ready to name him a starter over one of the established veterans. Nick Farabaugh provided quotes from Austin speaking to the media on Thursday.
"No, not yet [on Porter starting]. He's working hard, he's making strides, but is he ready for a full-time look right now? I'm not sure I can say that I really feel great about that. But he's trending in the right direction," Austin said.
Whether fans like it or not, this has always been the Steelers' approach. Over the years, they have always been very cautious with easing rookies into significant roles in their first seasons in the NFL. This season has been no different, despite an uber-talented rookie class. Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington have seen a combined 159 offensive snaps thus far.
Bucs Network
With left tackle Dan Moore Jr. injured, Steelers rookie first-rounder Broderick Jones is set to make his first career start in Week 5 against the Ravens.
Things will change as the season evolves, but for now, Porter will remain a backup. It's still early, as we are only a month into the NFL season. The rookie cornerback has played just 58 (20%) defensive snaps in 2023 thus far. While that number will likely increase in Week 5, the team will want to ramp that up a bit more before he starts and plays most of the snaps.
"I think it's always different to come into the league and just start and learn it and then just thrust you into the starting lineup. I think that's a different animal. I want to be pretty sure he's ready to handle all of that because I don't want to throw him in there and not have the success we all envision for him," Austin said via Farabaugh.
This is the perfect encapsulation of the Steelers' mindset when it comes to these rookies. On a yearly basis, fans ponder as to why the team's first-year guys don't see the field sooner. Well, this is the explanation. Broderick Jones was a perfect example of this to begin the season, as the team faced some elite pass rushers in the first few weeks. If you throw a talented guy into the fire like that, it could destroy his confidence from the get-go. Even Jones himself admitted that he wasn't quite ready for a starting role to begin the season.
Annie Kubiak / Onward State
After the obvious connection throughout the pre-draft process, the Steelers took Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
When Will The Steelers Turn To Porter In The Starting Lineup?
If Porter continues to play well in limited action though, he will only force the coaches to play him more. That will hold particularly true if Wallace and Peterson continue to struggle with guarding wide receivers on the outside. In the first four weeks, the Steelers have allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns (eight) and seventh-most yards through the air (1,018).
Do you agree with the team's cautious approach in easing the rookies into more playing time? Will the team start Porter over one of the veterans after the Week 6 bye? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
#SteelerNation
