Joey Porter Jr. excelled in limiting opponents during his rookie NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but one receiver gave him consistent trouble—Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf. Now that both players are on the same Steelers roster, Porter looks forward to intense practice battles that could sharpen his skills, despite the physicality they will bring.
Porter expressed his eagerness for the upcoming camp competitions in an interview on The Christian Kuntz Podcast, stating,
“I was excited to be honest. I’m like, ‘This is gonna be a good camp’ ’cause I know I’m coming with it every time, and I know they gonna push me too, to another level,”
I know it’s gonna be chippy and that’s what I be looking forward to. So I was really excited for it because I know it’s gonna elevate my game.
—Joey Porter Jr., Cornerback
Porter’s Rookie Season Performance Against Metcalf
During Porter’s rookie season, he shadowed DK Metcalf on 81.3 percent of his routes, which was among the highest in the NFL starting from Week 7. Despite Porter’s defensive efforts, Metcalf managed to catch three of six targets for 86 yards in their matchup. According to Next Gen Stats, only Metcalf managed to gain more than 40 yards on Porter in coverage that season.
Joey Porter Jr. aligned across from DK Metcalf on 26 of 32 routes (81.3%), his 6th shadow coverage game since Week 7 (T-most in NFL). Metcalf caught 3 of 6 targets for 86 yards, the first WR to gain over 40 yards vs Porter in coverage this season.#PITvsSEA | #Seahawks
—Next Gen Stats, NFL Analytics
Physical Edge and On-Field Challenges in Their Matchups
Metcalf held a physical advantage over Porter, particularly in the run game, where his blocking helped clear lanes for Pittsburgh’s running backs. While Porter has an edge in arm length against most receivers, Metcalf’s size and strength challenged him in ways few others did. This physicality was a key factor Metcalf brought from Seattle to Pittsburgh under coach Arthur Smith’s system.
This isn’t the reason you trade for DK Metcalf but Arthur Smith will love seeing this. Metcalf getting after Joey Porter Jr. in the run game in 2023, clearing the way for this TD.
—Alex Kozora, Football Analyst
Transition from Previous Rivalries to New Camp Dynamics
Porter had notable offseason battles with former teammate George Pickens, but now that Pickens is no longer with the Steelers, Porter embraces the new challenge of facing Metcalf in practice. He recognizes Metcalf’s unique skill set beyond brute strength and emphasizes the need to stay fully focused when covering him.
DK is more brute force even though that’s not all he has to his game. He has a lot to his game that I feel like people really don’t understand,
Porter said.
“You gotta really lock in when you go against somebody like that because he could run any route in the route tree and he’s big and fast.”
Then you gotta tackle him when he gets the ball. So then it’s like when he get the ball in his hand, that’s another thing.
—Joey Porter Jr., Cornerback
Learning from Veterans and Overcoming Past Setbacks
Porter showed improvement in his second year but has struggled at times with penalties, preventing him from reaching elite cornerback status as some had predicted. The daily competition against Metcalf, alongside guidance from veteran cornerback Darius Slay, is expected to accelerate his development. Slay’s presence provides Porter with a valuable mentor as he faces one of the toughest receivers in the league every day.
Given Slay’s own complicated history with Metcalf, the atmosphere during camp matchups promises to be intense and competitive regardless of who is matched up against the wide receiver in drills. If Porter can consistently contain Metcalf’s physicality and versatility, he will be well-prepared for the challenges of the regular season.
Implications for Pittsburgh’s Defensive Strength
The ongoing battles between Porter and Metcalf in Steelers camp will likely push both players to new heights, improving Pittsburgh’s overall defense. Metcalf’s acquisition aims to enhance the offense and demands that defenders like Porter raise their game. This rigorous intra-team competition could have a significant impact on the Steelers’ performance in the upcoming NFL season.