3 Pittsburgh Steelers veterans who could lose starting jobs to rookies
By Mark Powell
Steelers: Joey Porter Jr. will start from the jump
Joey Porter Jr. has yet to agree to his rookie contract with Pittsburgh, which is surprising to say the least given he was an early second-round selection. Still, assuming that deal gets done prior to training camp, there is little in Porter Jr.’s way to securing a starting spot.
In starting Porter Jr. at CB2, it’s likely eliminating an opportunity for one of Levi Wallace or Akhello Witherspoon. Neither of these players is strong enough to play on the outside regularly anyway, but they are established veterans who would normally receive the first chance to compete at the position.
Former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor sees a lot of himself in Porter Jr., except he thinks the Penn State product is far more developed at this stage of his career:
“JP Jr. has been playing corner all his life. He’s going to be a step ahead of me because he’s been playing that position longer than me. So, his transition might not have to take him to the second year like it took me. He can just get it [experience] in training camp because he’s splitting first-team reps right now at OTAs and minicamp. So, by the time he gets to training camp and gets his reps, gets his feet underneath him, and understands the system, he can get that ASAP,” Taylor said, per Steelers Nation.
Signing his rookie contract will be Porter Jr.’s next big step, as he cannot afford distractions this early on. Getting into camp alongside veteran CB Patrick Peterson should provide JPJ with a positive learning experience.