The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing undrafted rookie cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., according to KPRC 2 NFL insider Aaron Wilson, as training camp injuries have begun to pile up at the position.
“Steelers sign former [Buffalo] Bills [and] [Miami Hurricanes] defensive back Daryl Porter Jr., following a successful workout per a league source,” Wilson reported on August 4. He added that the “workout included former first-round pick C.J. Henderson,” who was with the Steelers last season.
Per Steelers Now beat reporter Alan Saunders, “the Steelers have been dealing with a number of injuries at the cornerback position, with Joey Porter Jr., Cory Trice and Donte Kent all missing the team’s practice session on Sunday.”
Trice’s injury appears to be particularly troublesome, as the former draft pick could miss the initial preseason game on August 9.
That creates a need for healthy bodies, and that’s exactly what the newer Steelers CB named Porter will provide.
Steelers Training Camp Signing Daryl Porter Jr. Has NFL Roots
Daryl Porter Sr. played in the NFL from 1997 through 2002. He was a 5-foot-9 defensive back who was actually drafted by the Steelers in round six, but never played a game with the organization.
After seven games with the Detroit Lions as a rookie, Porter Sr. spent the bulk of his career with the Bills (34 appearances over three seasons). He finished his playing days with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots, hanging up the cleats after his release from the Patriots following their 2002 training camp.
Daryl Porter Jr. is his son, and outside of a brief stop in Buffalo this spring, the rookie only has collegiate experience.
Porter Jr. suited up for 19 games with West Virginia from 2020 through 2021, plus another 30 with Miami from 2022 through 2024. The youngster registered 1 career interception in college, with 108 total tackles (3 tackles for a loss) and 18 pass breakups.
The rookie must have impressed head coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers if he managed to get the call over a veteran with scheme familiarity like Henderson — who, keep in mind, is a former first-round talent.
Steelers CBs Cory Trice Jr. & Donte Kent Are Missing Valuable Time With Injuries
Joey Porter Jr. obviously has nothing to worry about in terms of the 53-man roster cutdown, but Trice and Kent are both missing valuable time as they find themselves on the bubble at training camp.
Ironically, Trice and Kent are likely competing with each other, among other Steelers CBs, but the injuries won’t help either former seventh-round pick make the Week 1 roster.
Pittsburgh is deeper than ever at cornerback in 2025, despite the need for a camp body like Daryl Porter Jr. Once Joey Porter Jr. returns, he’ll rejoin Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay on the first-team defense with Brandin Echols, James Pierre and Beanie Bishop Jr. currently slotting in behind those three.
