Former All-Pro Defender Reveals Perfect Way For Steelers' Joey Porter Jr To Find "Next Level" Of His Game

The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of the best moves of the last decade in the NFL, yet it does not get talked about enough. During the 2022 NFL season, General Manager Omar Khan decided to trade wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Bears wound up being the worst team in the league that season, so the selection was the first pick of the second round that year. To make matters even better for the Steelers, the Miami Dolphins lost their first-round pick that season due to a tampering situation, so the Steelers basically earned the 32nd overall pick in exchange for Claypool.

This was a perfect move from Khan, and he made it count as the franchise selected cornerback Joey Porter Jr. with that pick the organization received from the Bears. Porter did not start initially, but he wound up cracking the starting lineup during his rookie season, and he played well. There was some concerns about his aggressiveness and penalties throughout his first two seasons, but he improved on that dramatically during his third season and was undeniably one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. 

Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asked former All-Pro cornerback Joe Haden about Porter during a recent episode of Deebo & Joe, and Haden believes Porter has another step to take with his game.

"I think when you talk the handsy part with Joey Porter Jr., I think that's still with the game being a little fast," Haden explained. "The slower it slows down, he's using straight athletic ability. When he knows what's going on, coming out of the huddle, 'Ok, we got man, we got an over split, he's going to run a slant,' film study I think is going to be a really, really big thing for him now -- to make the next level of his game. Like last year, he wasn't as handsy, he's learning, he's getting a lot more comfortable out there."

Porter is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and he is due a contract extension. The extension is expected to be extremely lucrative, so there is a good chance that it is not done until around the time of training camp in late July/early August. He should become one the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league, but he likely won't reset the market.

Porter only had six accepted penalties called against him during the 2025 season, which is a dramatic improvement over the first two seasons of his career. He has taken great strides in that regard, and that may have something to do with him gaining more experience and getting better at film study. He may be learning better systems when it comes to studying certain wide receivers in the league and studying certain offensive schemes. He may be able to recognize things better pre-snap now, which is only going to make him a great player.

Porter doesn't have any of the significant career achievements yet, like a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro bid, but those should come in due time. He is now getting some of the recognition that he deserves, which should help him earn more recognition. 

Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Should Have His Best Season Of His Career In 2026

The Steelers' secondary as a whole should be better in 2026, and the defensive front should also play better. Both of those factors are only going to help Porter in his play, and he will probably outplay whatever contract he is given during the 2026 season. Paying him seems like a no-brainer for Pittsburgh, and hopefully the deal gets done with little to no drama being involved.

What do you think about Haden's analysis of Porter? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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