The Steelers’ secondary is starting to look like a real strength in camp, and one of the biggest reasons is a name that wasn’t supposed to be carrying this kind of load: Asante Samuel Jr.
With Joey Porter Jr. sidelined by a back injury suffered at the start of training camp, Samuel has stepped into a starting role and made the most of it. Pittsburgh is only a few days into practice, but he has already separated himself as a corner who can hold down the outside. That’s a big development for a defense trying to bounce back after a rough 2025 and get comfortable under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Samuel’s rise is especially notable because of where he’s coming from. He missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing cervical neck fusion surgery, then joined the Steelers for the second half of the 2025 campaign.
He was useful in that stretch, but he still looked like a player working his way back. Now, two years removed from the surgery, he looks much closer to the version of himself that made noise with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The early returns in camp have been loud. Over the first two days of practice, Samuel has piled up multiple pass breakups and has been a constant problem for the Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf connection. He’s been active, disruptive, and hard to shake.
What stands out most for Pittsburgh, though, is the depth around him. The secondary finished the 2025 season in rough shape, but that’s not what the field has looked like so far.
Samuel is working as a starter opposite Jamel Dean, while young players like Daylen Everette and Doneiko Slaughter have also flashed. Sebastian Castro added an interception to close out the second day of on-field work, and newcomer Darnell Savage has looked fully healthy and dangerous.
That gives the Steelers something they badly needed: patience. With Samuel already playing at a starter level, there’s no reason to hurry Joey Porter Jr. or Jalen Ramsey back onto the practice field. Graham can keep building his defense without the constant pressure of wondering how the secondary will hold together once everyone returns.
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Will Howard arrived with the kind of buzz that can make a rookie quarterback feel like he is already part of the plan, but the Steelers are heading into training camp with a different order than many expected. Mason Rudolph is positioned as the No. 2 quarterback for now, which gives Pittsburgh a more familiar face behind the starter and signals that the team is not simply handing Howard the backup job on potential alone.
Howard still has time to change that conversation once camp and the preseason begin, and that is where this gets interesting for the Steelers. A new coaching staff has every reason to take a long look at all its options, but it also has a veteran in Rudolph who already knows how to handle the role. For Howard, the next few weeks are less about hype and more about proving he can force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Face A Costly Joey Porter Jr. Problem
Joey Porter Jr. has spent much of the Steelers offseason on the sideline, and the timing has made his situation worth watching in Pittsburgh. The cornerback has not been a major participant in team activities, which matters even more for a defense that wants its young pieces moving in sync before camp fully ramps up.
The contract side only adds another layer. Pittsburgh still plans to get Porter extended before the season, but the cornerback market has been climbing, and Denzel Wards new deal in Cleveland has only pushed the price tag higher for top corners. For the Steelers, that leaves a familiar front-office balancing act: keep a key young defender in the fold without letting a rising market turn a straightforward extension into a costly standoff. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Porter Jr. May Be Pricing Himself Into A Steelers Standoff
Joey Porter Jr. has become one of the Steelers most important contract decisions, and the shape of the market around him is making the conversation harder, not easier. Pittsburgh and its young cornerback still have not bridged the gap on an extension, with the disagreement centered on average annual salary and how Porter should be valued against the leagues top corners.
Recent talks for other premium defensive backs have only sharpened the stakes, because every big number at the position gives Porter another reason to press his case. The Steelers also have to keep an eye on the rest of their extension pipeline, which means this one is not happening in a vacuum and could linger as Pittsburgh tries to balance present value with future cap planning. [Read more 🡒]