The Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. are stuck in a “classic stalemate,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and the sticking point is a long-term extension that still hasn’t produced a formal offer from Pittsburgh.
Fowler reported that Porter isn’t pleased with the team’s choice to lock up other players first, and that the Steelers have not put forward a deal that matches his value. His read on the situation is that Pittsburgh would rather have Porter play out his rookie contract.
That uncertainty has fed speculation around Porter’s current absence, which has been described as a “back” injury. Fowler said he believes the real issue is contractual, and he raised the possibility that teams could begin reaching out about a trade.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor added that the Steelers have not made or received calls involving Porter, despite the chatter. She also said the team treated the season opener as a self-imposed deadline to get something done.
Porter, 26, is the son of longtime NFL OLB Joey Porter. He was a three-year starter at Penn State, earning third-team All-Big 10 honors in two seasons and first-team recognition in his final year.
Pittsburgh drafted him with the first pick of the second round in 2023. He is in the final season of a four-year, $9,618,343 rookie deal that included a $3,995,158 signing bonus, and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
In 2025, Porter played in 14 games for the Steelers and finished with 52 total tackles, one sack, one interception and 14 pass deflections.
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What is starting to separate the two is the steadiness the Steelers value most. Howards turnovers have raised the kind of concerns that tend to linger with a young quarterback, while Allars path looks more tied to polishing his mechanics and building on the progress he has already made. With Pittsburgh expected to carry four quarterbacks on the roster, the competition is less about short-term survival than which player looks like the better long-term bet if the team decides to keep investing in one of them. [Read more 🡒]