How Joey Porter Jr. fits with every AFC West team
We continue our series of team fits for Penn State draft prospects. We have spent the past few weeks breaking down how Joey Porter Jr. fits on teams throughout the NFL. And we now move on to the AFC West.
This is another draft class that is deep with corners. You could certainly make a case that every team in this division could take a cornerback early in the spring.
Perhaps one team that would come as a surprise would be the Raiders, who are now looking for their new franchise quarterback, and looking to deal Derek Carr in a trade.
One team that could make a stronger case than other teams in this division is the Broncos. The Chiefs traded up for a corner last year and the Chargers have Asante Samuel Jr. and they did sign J.C. Jackson last offseason from the Patriots.
Let’s break down how Joey Porter Jr. fits with every team in the AFC West.
Kansas City Chiefs
Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Let’s start with the Chiefs. They don’t have too much depth in their cornerback room right now, but it is also a room full of youth. They traded up in the first round last year to take Washington’s Trent McDuffie. The Chiefs to also have La’Jarius Sneed, who is up for a new contract in 2024. They were also in the top half of the league in pass defense, ranking 10th in the league with 11 interceptions. They also averaged 200.9 passing yards given up, ranking 11th overall. Will the Chiefs take a corner again in the first round this spring? Pairing Joey Porter Jr. with Trent McDuffie would certainly be a fun duo in the AFC West, especially if the Chiefs do decide to move on from Sneed after the 2024 season.
Denver Broncos
Michael Hickey/Getty Images
The Denver Broncos are an interesting team. After a disappointing season and firing Nathaniel Hackett before the end of his first season as their head coach, the Broncos coaching search continues. Let’s take a look at their secondary. The Broncos took Patrick Surtain II with the ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft. He has been living up to that draft pick thus far. The Broncos also have Damarri Mathis, a 2022 draft pick from Pitt. He is locked into his rookie contract. But if they were to take Porter Jr., he would come in and compete for a starting role in Denver and it would also be a fun duo for the Broncos’ cornerback room.
Los Angeles Chargers
Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
The Chargers blew a big lead in the playoffs to the Jaguars in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. On top of that, they were also inconsistent at times throughout the regular season. Their cornerback room is struggling. They took Asante Samuel Jr. in the 2021 draft. They also signed J.C. Jackson last offseason from the Patriots. The Chargers could go a few different ways with their first-round pick in the spring. If they were to take Porter Jr., he would not only bring more depth in their cornerback room, but he would also bring more competition. Porter Jr. could come in and potentially compete for a starting cornerback role for the Chargers between him and Samuel Jr.
Las Vegas Radiers
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Raiders need a lot. The last Big Ten cornerback they took in the first round was Ohio State’s Damon Arnette, who is currently not on their team anymore. First, Porter Jr. would be a great fit with the Raiders. He would give the Raiders their true number one cornerback that they have needed for quite some time now. The Radiers are struggling in several areas, and their secondary is one of them. Second, the Raiders are likely going to be in a position to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the spring. So, if they do take a guy like Porter Jr., it might be a scenario where the Raiders end up trading back from their pick. If they do pass on a quarterback in the draft, as surprising as it would be, especially if they don’t address it via trade or free agency this offseason, Porter Jr. would be a very nice fit for a team with a struggling defense.
[lawrence-related id=29041,28779,28538,28343,27640]
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.
