eterson, Levi Wallace, Chandon Sullivan, James Pierre, Darius Rush, Corey Trice Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Eric Rowe, Keanu Neal, Miles Killebrew, Elijah Riley, Trenton Thompson
A Last Look at 2023
That there are 14 players listed here gives you an idea of what happened in the Steelers’ secondary this season – particularly at safety, where Neal, Riley and Thompson all spent time on IR, while Fitzpatrick and Kazee also missed significant time due to injury or suspension.
The story of the 2023 secondary could be written simply as the emergence of rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as a shutdown cornerback.
The first pick of the second round with a selection adeptly acquired from the Bears in 2022 for wide receiver Chase Claypool, Porter was eased into action early before becoming a full-time player in Week 8 against Jacksonville.
Per Pro Football Reference, he allowed just 30 receptions on 63 targets in his coverage, a 47.6 percent completion percentage that was among the best in the NFL. And Porter did that while traveling with the opposing team’s top wide receiver, something he began in just his second start against Tennessee’s DeAndre Hopkins.
After a slow start, veteran Patrick Peterson settled into a role as something as a jack-of-all trades for the Steelers, seeing time as an outside cornerback, slot corner, dime linebacker and free safety.
Peterson allowed a 59.4 completion percentage and intercepted two passes, while breaking up 11 passes. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer also provided a veteran leadership to the group and defense overall.
Levi Wallace also broke up 11 passes and intercepted two others, while allowing a completion percentage of 53.3, just a tick up from the 53.2 percent he allowed in 2022 in his first season with the Steelers. His 75 times targeted were the most on the team, 11 more than Peterson and 12 more than Porter, both of whom played more snaps.
