Patrick Peterson Believes Steelers Need Him To Mentor Joey Porter Jr: 'He Has No One There'

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a ton of roster moves ahead of free agency to free up cap space, which included releasing players like Patrick Peterson, Mason Cole, Chukwuma Okorafor, Pressley Harvin III, Mitch Trubisky, and Allen Robinson II. Most of these releases were due to the player not living up to their contracts on the field, which leaves the door open for Pittsburgh to bring some of these players back on a smaller deal in free agency. A player who believes the door is still open for him to return to Pittsburgh is Peterson, who was a strong veteran presence on the defense in 2023. 

Peterson got better as the 2023 season went along in Pittsburgh, but ultimately his play on the field left a lot to be desired. When targeted, Peterson allowed a completion percentage of nearly 60 percent and gave up over 490 yards and four touchdowns. He also had a glaring weakness when it came to tackling, as he had a 21 percent missed tackle rate. He was a liability in some areas for Pittsburgh, but on the most recent episode of his podcast, All Things Covered, he made a strong case as to why he should return to Pittsburgh.

"I wanna be able to help Joey [Porter Jr.] to help his career continue to flourish. Joey can be so special, man. But he has no one there that can help him get to where he wants to go. No one that has the experience to help him go where he wants to go. If the Pittsburgh Steelers have the aspiration of Joey being what they want him to be, I mean, I know free agency is coming up. Obviously, they have decisions to make. But at the same time, what other guy would you want around teaching the young pup? I've done everything that y'all want him to be."

Joey Porter Jr. had a strong rookie year in 2023, as he was a finalist for the NFL's Defensive Rookie Of The Year Award. A lot of that was due to his extreme talent and being in a successful system under Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin, but he also had strong veteran leadership at his position in Peterson.

Peterson is on the tail end of a very successful career in the NFL. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler and was an All-Pro three times, while also being named to the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team. The Steelers are hoping Porter Jr. has just as successful of a career as Peterson, and having him on the roster would help Porter Jr. get to that level of play. Peterson obviously wasn't playing at the same level in 2023, as it was his 13th season in the NFL. He had a potential cap hit of nearly $10 million for the 2024 season, which made it a no brainer for the front office to release him to free up cap space. 

Steelers Need Help In The Secondary

With the release of Peterson, and Levi Wallace likely not being re-signed, the Steelers have a lot of snaps to replace at the cornerback position. They have second-year player Cory Trice Jr. coming off a knee injury that kept him out for the entire 2023 season, as well as second-year player Darius Rush. Both Trice Jr. and Rush are unproven with little to no experience, making a cornerback a priority for Pittsburgh in both free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.

If Peterson is willing to come back on a team-friendly deal, it could be worth it for Pittsburgh. He played both cornerback and safety for Pittsburgh in 2023. That versatility, paired with his veteran presence and leadership, could be valuable for Pittsburgh. The door is still open for Peterson, and a return is certainly on the table.

Do you want Peterson to come back to mentor Porter Jr.?