The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t have an extensive game plan for the Detroit Lions in the final preseason game on Saturday, but cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is thoroughly prepping for All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“Yeah, definitely, I’ve been knowing (about) him for a long time. Where he played at in high school (California powerhouse Mater Dei), so I’ve always been a fan of his game,” Porter said when asked about preparing for St. Brown. “Just trying to get that deep dive in with these guys even though it’s not a regular season (game), just trying to get that regular-season feel. So yeah that’s the approach we’ve been taking.”
St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the game. In his first three seasons in the NFL, he’s recorded 315 receptions for 3,588 yards (11.4 average) and 21 touchdowns. Last season, he was named first-team All-Pro after hauling 119 receptions for 1,515 yards (12.7 average) and 10 touchdowns.
Porter had a banner rookie campaign in 2023, finishing fifth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Porter allowed a completion on just 47.4% of his targets in 2023, which was the lowest among all cornerbacks with 50+ targets, according to Pro Football Focus. In addition, Porter only gave up 50+ yards in the air in 2 out of his 17 games during his rookie season.
Porter allowed just one touchdown pass and just 0.76 yards per cover snap in 2023. Travis Etienne’s 56-yard touchdown in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 8 win over the Steelers was the only touchdown that Porter allowed, and that came on a busted coverage.