After the trade of Joey Porter Jr. earlier this season by the Pittsburgh Steelers, many thought it would hurt the team. With the trade deadline approaching, the defense, especially in the secondary, has to prove its worth. Jobs could've been up for grabs as the Black and Gold reviewed the trade block for potential Porter replacements.
Their current group of cornerbacks is answering the call when it comes to adequately replacing Porter.
Following the trade, many branded Pittsburgh as the losers of that deal. Well, the Cowboys just lost again and appear to be on a path to another disappointing campaign. Yes, on paper they clearly won the deal early on, but that is starting to change. The Steelers are sitting at a 6-2 record at their bye week, while Dallas and Porter are struggling at 3-5 in one of the worst divisions in the NFL.
Don't be shocked if the Steelers are linked to a couple of cornerbacks before the trade deadline on November 10, but they shouldn't be desperate to get one. All four of Asante Samuel Jr., Jalen Ramsey, Jamel Dean, and Daylen Everette have proved to be a quality group at the position at this point in the season. Right now, it makes sense for the Black and Gold to ride with those players.
The emergence of the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary post-Joey Porter Jr. trade gives hope
After injuries and other bumps in the road to start the season, the Steelers secondary is starting to find its footing. The outside cornerbacks of Daylen Everette, Jamel Dean, and Asante Samuel Jr. have been playing at a high level. Maybe none of them are near an elite talent like Joey Porter Jr., but as a collective unit, they have formed a strong enough group to help the Steelers' defense succeed.
During this past week, all three of Everette, Dean, and Samuel have produced strong performances. Everette graded out as the best player on the Steelers' defense by Pro Football Focus ($) at 98, even though it was in limited action. He is only credited with allowing one catch. Even though he was in a limited role against the Browns, and for most of the season, Everette continues to show he is ready for more snaps.
Dean was meant to make a dynamic duo with Joey Porter Jr., but he's now become their top corner. Since taking over that role, Jamel Dean has been strong when he isn't on the injury report. It wasn't his best grade of the season from PFF, with a 47 on the day, but the stats show he produced a strong outing. Dean was credited with allowing four receptions off of seven targets for only 31 yards.
A lot of pressure remains on Asante Samuel Jr. since Porter's departure, but he's handled it with class for the most part. During the matchup against Cleveland, he didn't allow a single reception off of three targets while he was in coverage. That was good enough for PFF to award him a grade of 74.3. He needs to be more consistent this season, but for the most part, Samuel has been a solid corner.
Their talented cornerbacks were on display this past weekend as they helped slow the Browns' offense to zero touchdowns through the air.
They might've allowed some yardage through the air, but Pittsburgh's secondary played at a high level. Despite being without Porter the entire season, all three of their outside cornerbacks who replaced him have been playing a strong brand of football.
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