The Pittsburgh Steelers may have watched Joey Porter Jr.’s next deal get more expensive without Porter even signing it yet.
Devon Witherspoon’s new extension with the Seattle Seahawks has reset the cornerback market, and that matters in Pittsburgh. Witherspoon is now making $33 million per year, with $101 million of his $132 million salary over the next four years guaranteed. That kind of number doesn’t automatically put Porter in that exact lane, but it does push the conversation higher and higher.
What was already shaping up as a tricky negotiation now looks even tougher for the Steelers. Porter’s contract has already taken longer than the team probably wanted, and the calendar isn’t exactly doing them any favors. There’s still nearly a month before the regular season starts, which gives Pittsburgh some room to work before it opens against the Atlanta Falcons.
General manager Omar Khan said there was nothing imminent with Porter’s deal, though he did expect all healthy players to practice. Porter has not been on the field for much of the spring, instead riding a bike off to the side, and his summer absence could leave him behind in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s scheme.
The situation around Porter’s PUP list injury also leaves room for questions. It is unclear whether it is being used to mask a hold-in or if it is something else entirely. Either way, the cost to keep him in Pittsburgh keeps climbing.
At this point, the Steelers could be looking at more than $30 million per year just to lock Porter in long term, even if that still falls short of the very top of the market. The team has publicly said it wants to get a deal done before the season begins, but Witherspoon’s extension just made that task a lot harder.
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