Training camp has officially wrapped up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and everyone is buzzing with the biggest winners and losers from the team’s practices. As always, it was an entertaining stretch for fans of the team.
Unfortunately, some players didn’t live up to their expectations.
While the losers list felt relatively small compared to normal, there were certainly some notable names. Malik Harrison went from top reserve linebacker to the easiest cut candidate on the roster. Esezi Otomewo was an early favorite in the defensive line room, but he fell out of favor.
You can’t mention training camp losers without saying Kaleb Johnson’s name. The former third-round pick fell out of favor with the team, and just one year after being drafted, he seems destined to be playing somewhere else in 2026.
However, none of these names are the true biggest losers. While disappointing, none of these names will impact the team long-term. The same can’t be said for Joey Porter Jr.
The Pittsburgh Steelers biggest loser from training camp was Joey Porter Jr.
We know what we have in Porter Jr. at this point. There isn’t a question of his role when he finally does take the field, as he will be the top cornerback.
That said, there is a lot of newness with the Steelers this year. A brand new coaching staff from top to bottom has, naturally, changed this team. Having the time in practice to get used to these changes will be paramount to the success of Pittsburgh this year.
Porter, to this point, has yet to officially practice with the team. He hasn’t been able to fully acclimate himself to Patrick Graham’s new scheme.
While not a guarantee, I’d expect Porter to have a new deal before the regular season begins. Once received he will resume his role as the top cornerback on the depth chart. However, the early part of the season could be slower because he is still adjusting to a new scheme.
In his absence, we have seen really good performances from Asante Samuel Jr. and, to a lesser extent, third-round rookie Daylen Everette. If Porter comes out of the gate slow because he is adjusting, Steelers fans will be quick to turn on him.
Assuming a deal is struck between Porter and the Steelers, he will likely become a top-five or better-paid cornerback in this league. The Steelers will want an instant return on that investment.
No, Porter isn’t at risk of missing the roster, but missing out on all of camp could be detrimental to his game. It’ll be a bad look if he inks a big deal and then proceeds to have a slow start to the season. Given the amount of change, it is hard to see this scenario not playing out.
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