The Pittsburgh Steelers talking down their rookies’ preparedness for a full-time role is certainly nothing new. Though they have been more willing in the past decade to let the young guys play, it’s still not uncommon for them to employ a much higher level of caution than other teams might.
Which is probably the only reason 32nd-overall pick Joey Porter Jr. is still spending so much time on the sidelines. Though his role has slowly increased in the secondary over the first five weeks, there is no question that on a per-snap basis, he has outplayed starters Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace.