The Joey Porter Jr. standoff with the Steelers has rolled into Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season, and the numbers tied to it are starting to come into focus.
Porter has not taken the field yet this season after sitting out training camp and the preseason during a contract dispute, with a back injury now being cited as the reason for his absence. The two sides also failed to reach a long-term agreement before the season, and because Pittsburgh doesn’t negotiate contracts once the regular season begins, the chances of a deal getting done now appear slim.
Porter has pushed back on the idea that he was trying to reset the cornerback market or become the highest-paid player at his position. Even so, a new report sheds light on the kind of money he passed on.
According to Gerry Dulac, the Steelers put a deal on the table that would have paid Porter $27 million per year, and he rejected it.
“I don’t see how Joey Porter Jr. will go play this year for just south of $4 million when he walked away from what would have been just north of $27 million this year,” Dulac said on WDVE, via Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot.
At that figure, Porter would have ranked seventh among cornerbacks in average annual value, sitting behind Derek Stingley and ahead of Jaycee Horn.
There is still a chance Porter could be back on the field soon. Adam Schefter reported that the Steelers expect him to play in Week 3, though Porter is also seeking a second opinion on his back.
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