Joey

Porter

Porter suffered a knee injury in Week 16’s loss to the Ravens and wound up missing last week’s game against the Chiefs. Now, after being a full participant in practice this week, Porter expects to play against the Bengals and said he’ll be on Tee Higgins for most of the game. Porter has allowed 580 receiving yards and one touchdown on 69 targets this season and has also broken up four passes. While the Steelers’ spot in the playoffs is already secured, they are losers of three-straight games and could use a win ahead of the AFC Wild Card round.

Porter was also listed as a DNP on Sunday’s estimated practice report. The Steelers’ CB1 is at risk of missing Week 17’s game against the Chiefs if he’s not able to get on the field even in a limited capacity on Tuesday. If Porter is unable to play, James Pierre would likely draw the start in his absence.

Porter was added to the injury report on Thursday, but still got in a limited session in each of the team’s last two practice. The rookie corner has been a near lock down player for the Steelers this season, allowing just one reception for 12 yards on 10 targets while forcing one interception. In addition to Porter, the Steelers also listed cornerbacks Levi Wallace (foot) and James Pierre (ankle) as questionable, with Pierre being a Friday addition to the injury report.

The son of Steelers royalty, Porter Jr. (6’2/193) is cut from the modern mold of long, elastic corners who are in many cases taller than the wide receivers they are matching up against. Redshirted as a freshman, Porter went on to start 31 games over his final three seasons while earning All-Big Ten recognition in each. His play crested in 2022, with Porter Jr. allowing 15 receptions on 30 targets for just 143 yards through 10 games while earning Second Team All-American accolades. His size is a major asset with elongated 34” arms that help stifle initial movement off the line and knock passes away at their high point, as is evidenced by his 11 PBU last year. His 4.46s 40-yard dash was an 84th percentile number for his size and backs up his press-man credentials, though he didn’t do any agility testing. That’s telling because the biggest knock on Porter Jr’s coverage skills is his sluggish change of direction ability. Even so, his 9.71 RAS profile showcases the prototypical physical traits he possesses that bode well for his NFL projection. Porter Jr. has the lineage, mentality, and tools to be a longtime starting cornerback at the next level.