The Pittsburgh Steelers can't seem to get enough 'Porters' or 'Jr.s' in their secondary, so why not add another? On Monday, NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported that the Steelers have signed defensive back Daryl Porter Jr. following a successful workout.
Porter, an undrafted rookie in the 2025 class, played his first two college seasons at West Virginia before spending the past three years with the Miami Hurricanes. The cornerback logged 49 games played in college, but recorded just one career interception.
Now the UDFA finds himself with an unforeseen opportunity in a loaded Steelers secondary. This cornerback roster addition comes in the wake of a hamstring injury to former seventh-round draft pick Cory Trice Jr.—an injury that Mike Tomlin notes will keep him out for a while.
Porter will look to learn from players like Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, and Jalen Ramsey as he faces the ultimate uphill battle for a roster spot.
Daryl Porter Jr. is a long shot to crack the Pittsburgh Steelers' 53-man roster in 2025
Not every summer acquisition is made with the hope of a final roster spot in mind. As players go down with injuries, the Pittsburgh Steelers must fill the void. In this case, it's Daryl Porter Jr. who's stepping into a no-win scenario.
Even after Trice's injury, the Steelers have a deep cornerback room and will be forced to make some difficult cuts. Joey Porter Jr., Slay, and Ramsey are all roster locks, while veteran Brandin Echols is likely to make the team after earning a two-year contract this offseason.
After that, Beanie Bishop Jr. and James Pierre will be fighting tooth and nail to stick around in 2025, and if Trice can get healthy and back on the field, he could earn one of the final spots on the depth chart.
Daryl Porter would need a phenomenal showing early in camp and a tremendous preseason to even put his name in for consideration for a spot on the 53-man roster. His best path is that he plays well enough to warrant a spot on the practice squad and could eventually be called to the active roster if injuries strike in 2025.
Porter stands at 5'11'' and 184 pounds with 4.58 speed and overall poor athletic testing, so he doesn't even have the physical tools worth betting on. Keep your expectations low with this signing.