Unexpected Steelers Defender Makes Huge Impression In Week 3

The Pittsburgh Steelers earned a surprising Week 3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Coming into this game, there was very little hope for the offense and the defense was staring one of the most talented opposing offenses right in the face. Pittsburgh prevailed, with an explosive performance on offense and a clutch defensive moment. This game did not go in the direction everyone expected it would, especially with Steelers star cornerback, Joey Porter Jr. missing his third straight contest while he deals with contract negotiations. One Pittsburgh defender made a huge, unexpected impact.

Cornerback Daylen Everette stepped up in a big way on Sunday, filling the large shoes of Porter Jr. Everette did not start the contest, but was a crucial part in the Steelers' second-half comeback victory. He forced a critical pass breakup on third down, resulting in the Bengals' second punt of the contest late in the game. 

Everette saw more opportunities Sunday due to the errors made by starting cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. The game started off with Samuel Jr. holding his own against arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL: Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. He performed well, not giving up any huge plays to the talented wide receivers, until he made a crucial mistake. During the second quarter, Higgins scored a 28-yard touchdown while being fouled by Samuel Jr. This led to the coaching staff seemingly pulling him out of the game. He did not see the field much after this moment, as it was Everette who was thrust into the role.

During a recent episode of the Kaboly + Mack podcast, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly spoke about this moment.

"Asante Samuel Jr. was playing well, as the Bengals did not really target him early in the game. He gave up the touchdown to Higgins and next thing you know, he is out of the game," Kaboly explained. "Everette came in and was asked to cover Chase. He was very impressive."

While Chase and Higgins still both put up solid numbers, they were contained for the most part. The duo did not break the game, which is all you can ask for as a defense. This duo is known for taking over contests, and while they still made life hard for Pittsburgh on Sunday, their performances were not enough to steal the victory.

As mentioned, Everette was very impressive in his first true test. Pittsburgh must have had a lot of faith in him, as putting in a third-round rookie to match up against some of the most talented wide receivers in the league is a recipe for disaster. This was not the case on Sunday, as the Bengals' pass catchers did the majority of their damage in the first half, when Everette was not matched up with them.

Pittsburgh's secondary is performing far better than most expected, despite the absence of Porter Jr. While the efficiency of the Steelers' pass rush and run defense has helped the defensive backs do their jobs, they have still held their own against some extremely talented offensive weapons. 

Everette could be the key to the Steelers' secondary, as many were worried about the unit's play going into the season without Porter Jr. The organization may have found a gem that could replace Porter Jr. if he does not return. It will be interesting to watch the utilization of Everette in the coming weeks, as it seems less likely that Porter Jr. will play for Pittsburgh this season.

Steelers' Secondary Play Could Persuade Front Office

While the Steelers' defensive backs have performed above expectations through three games, the team would still get a huge boost with the return of Porter Jr. This possibility becomes less realistic every day as the contract situation drags on. Many fans have given up on the idea of Porter Jr. returning to the lineup in 2026, and if this becomes reality, Everette and the rest of the secondary will need to continue to perform at a high level to make up for the loss of Porter Jr. 

The way the unit has played so far could push the front office to trade Porter Jr. If the organization believes that Porter Jr. is no longer needed, he could be on his way out of the Steel City in the near future.