PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. put together yet another promising performance in coverage against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.
Porter allowed three receptions for 27 receiving yards against the Bengals. He did not square off with Ja’Marr Chase this time around but rather Tee Higgins, who he held to a mere 15 receiving yards.
Ben Roethlisberger kept a close watch on Porter throughout his former team’s home win over the Bengals, and he came away quite impressed with the showing from the rookie cornerback. The former Steelers quarterback sees that Porter deserves to be in the conversation for the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
“He’s a physical football player,” Roethlisberger said on his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast. “You love that he’s a physical football player. You love he loves to get his hands on people. And so I love that they just let him play. And I love that he’s playing as well as any rookie, not just corner, but rookie in this league.
“He’s playing really well. Should get some definite consideration for Rookie of the Year.”
At the moment, Porter is tied with four other players for the fifth-best odds to win this season’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter (-20000) holds the best such odds.
Porter is slated to get the nod to cover wide receiver DK Metcalf in the Steelers’ upcoming road contest against the Seattle Seahawks — a matchup that Roethlisberger is much looking forward to seeing.
“DK is just a physical specimen, which is what I think Joey thrives at,” Roethlisberger said. “He thrives in physicality. It’s what he does best. Those two are gonna be, if he does follow him around, those two are gonna be just tangling with each other.”
Overall, Porter has allowed just one touchdown catch in coverage this season.
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