4 Steelers players who could lose their jobs to rookies

1. Levi Wallace could lose his job to Joey Porter Jr.

The Steelers were pleased with what Levi Wallace brought to the defense in 2022. The veteran cornerback earned 4 interceptions and defended 13 passes in his first year with the team, and he proved to be a stable presence on the outside. However, Wallace could soon take a back seat thanks to the young additions at cornerback on the Steelers roster.

Many thought that Joey Porter Jr. was going to go in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but taking him at pick 32 could prove to be a steal. Porter will carve out playing time very early in his career. It looks like Patrick Peterson could possibly kick inside in nickel packages, which means that Porter would play opposite of Wallace.

However, it's also possible that Porter Jr. and Peterson are the two outside cornerbacks in base defense. Even if Wallace begins the year as a starter, it's not impossible that another Steelers rookie, Cory Trice Jr., could be given an increased role as the season marches on -- especially if Wallace struggles.

Despite the interceptions last season, Wallace did allow 15.9 yards per target and 650 receiving yards in his direction. If he still gives up a lot of big plays but isn't getting the takeaways, he could fall out of favor in Pittsburgh. Wallace is a stop-gap starter, but he could be losing his job soon.