This is the eighth in a series on the Steelers' roster as the team prepares to report to training camp at Saint Vincent College July 23. Today: Cornerback
Cornerbacks: Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey, Brandin Echols, Corey Trice Jr., Beanie Bishop, James Pierre, Kyler McMichael, Cameron McCutcheon, Donte Kent, D'Shawn Jamison
What a talented and diverse group this has become with the acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Dolphins last week.
In fact, the trio of Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay, while a little older, might be the best trio at the top of a depth chart in the NFL.
The additions of Ramsey, 30, and Slay, 34, this offseason makes the Steelers older at cornerback, but the two have combined two Super Bowl wins, four All-Pro nods, 13 Pro Bowl honors and 52 combined interceptions.
It also gives them the option of playing Ramsey and Porter when they have two corners on the field, with Ramsey sliding to the slot when Slay enters the game on passing downs. Ramsey has extensive experience playing in the slot and also has seen time during his career at free safety.
When the Steelers selected Porter with the 32nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they did so with the idea that he would turn into a true No. 1 cornerback.
And while Porter has had his ups and downs in his first two seasons, that goes hand-in-hand with playing perhaps the most difficult position in all of sports.
Playing cornerback in the NFL is a chore. The rules are set up against you having success. The quarterbacks and wide receivers are better trained now more than ever thanks to the explosion of 7-on-7 camps beginning at an early age. And while the offense knows exactly where each play is supposed to align, the corners are reading and reacting to that.
It leads to those up-and-down moments.
Enter Gerald Alexander, the Steelers' new defensive backs coach. Alexander was assistant defensive backs coach for the Steelers in Porters' rookie season before spending 2024 with the Raiders.
"I think he's one of the elite guys at the line of scrimmage as far as disrupting releases and getting hands-on and stuff like that," Alexander said. "And so it's really post that. It's not necessarily getting aggressive beyond that combative stage within that five yards, and now it's just time for just to trust his transition, trust his process, trust his coverage ability, and then obviously when he's in a position to be able to defend the ball down the field, it's getting his eyes up and challenging that and going for the ball instead of trying to think about how do I keep the receiver from not receiving the ball."
Porter drew 17 penalty flags in 2024, but only 12 were accepted. But they also came in clusters, with 12 coming in three games.
He has elite cornerback talent, something Alexander was brought in to continue to refine.
The additions of Slay and Ramsey also could help. Both are accustomed to being No. 1 lockdown corners in their own right.
Slay understands what it takes to perform at that high level. He's also at his best with the ball in the air, recording at least 13 pass defenses in nine of his 12 seasons to go along with his 28 career interceptions.
Slay performed at a high level for the Eagles in 2024, particularly in the postseason, when he had five pass breakups and an interception.
If he and Ramsey can help Porter unlock that part of his game – be better playing the ball in the air – while also playing solid defense on the other side of him, the Steelers will be a much better team for it.
Like Slay, Ramsey has some ballhawk to his game, recording 108 pass defenses and 24 interception in 135 career games. That includes 60 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and 11 pass breakups last season in Miami.
Corey Trice Jr. returns for this third season after his rookie season was missed with a training camp injury. He took some positive steps forward in 2024 and could be counted on, along with free agent signing Brandin Echols to provide valuable depth.
Echols joins the Steelers from the Jets, where he appeared in 57 career games, making 19 starts. He can play inside or outside, giving the Steelers valuable options at both spots.
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast Pittonline@iheartmedia.com
Beanie Bishop handled a large portion of the slot duties for the Steelers in 2024 as an undrafted rookie, but could be pushed out of the starting lineup with the addition of Ramsey, who has logged over 1,300 snaps in the slot over the course of his career..
Veteran James Pierre was brought back at the start of the season in 2024 after spending training camp with the Commanders. He once again proved to be a valuable special teams player, logging more than 250 special teams snaps. Pierre has played 196 or more special teams snaps – excelling as a gunner – in each of his previous five seasons with the Steelers.
Donte Kent was selected out of Central Michigan in the seventh round of the NFL Draft to compete for the nickel job and add depth there, as well. He also excels on special teams, both in coverage and as a returner.
Veterans Kyler McMichael, Cameron McCutcheon and D'Shawn Jamison were brought in to provide depth and competition, with Jamison having the most experience among the group, having appeared in 15 career games.
