The Pittsburgh Steelers have a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. No Steeler has won the award since Kendrell Bell in 2001, but Joey Porter Jr. will look to break that streak. It seems unlikely he could, but I think he has a really good argument to win the award. Why? Let me break down a few unique things that Porter did that no one else in the field can say.
For one, Porter shadowed top receivers at a higher rate than any other rookie cornerback. In fact, he was near the top of the league in that metric. The only one who really got the better of him consistently was DK Metcalf, and even by the end of that game, Porter was able to slow down Metcalf down the stretch. Overall, while doing that, he allowed just one touchdown on a busted coverage against the Jaguars.
Almost none succeeded when he shadowed certain players like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Stefon Diggs, Puka Nacua, and others. Metcalf was by far the most successful of those receivers; the next closest was Chase, with just 36 yards when Porter was on him. Higgins, Diggs, Nacua, DeAndre Hopkins, and others were held below 25 yards when Porter shadowed them. It was a herculean stabilization effort from a rookie for a secondary who struggled to cover anyone before his introduction into the starting lineup.
Porter is still grabby sometimes, but his footwork and hand usage are coming a long way. That’s a big-time hit for Pittsburgh. And while those penalties will be used against him in his case, his clear case of shutting down top receivers helped propel the defense forward with injuries in the middle and at safety. Without him, none of this happens. Porter became the future of the secondary in two weeks when he stepped up to shut down Hopkins and then just continued to do it.
There are arguments for every other finalist. Jalen Carter started on a hot streak but faded down the stretch. Like Porter, Kobie Turner did the opposite and went on a heater once in the starting lineup. But no one has the reputation and arguably meant as much to a unit as Porter did. That’s the argument for him, and even if he is unlikely to win it, Porter should have a real chance with consideration to capture it.