The Steelers may have hit the hardest part of the Joey Porter Jr. situation: even if Pittsburgh wants out, the market may not be willing to meet the price.
Back in August, head coach Mike McCarthy said the team was at an “impasse” with Porter, and the tension has only grown since then. Porter has refused to play despite being deemed healthy, and the latest chatter suggests the Steelers are still looking for a second-round pick in return for their top cornerback.
That’s where things get tricky. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported on Wednesday that teams are interested, but they aren’t lining up to pay what Pittsburgh wants.
“Teams have been calling but, as of yet, aren’t willing to offer enough in return to convince the Steelers to part with Porter and also sign him to the contract he wants. The consensus around the league seems to be that Porter is a good cornerback but not among the elites at the position.
If he wants to be paid north of $30 million per year, it may be hard to find a team desperate enough to offer him that and the Steelers the compensation they’re looking for.”
That’s the squeeze Pittsburgh is feeling. A team trading for Porter would not only have to give up premium draft capital, it would also need to be ready to hand him a long-term extension worth more than $30 million per year. That’s a steep ask for a player who has essentially sat out since January, and it helps explain why the Steelers may not be getting much traction.
If the asking price drops, the conversation changes. A 2027 third-round pick and a future Day 3 pick might be enough to get something done. But that raises its own question: if that’s all Pittsburgh can get, why move him at all?
A third-rounder does not sound like enough for a player the Steelers still view as a true CB1, especially one of the NFL’s rare lockdown man-coverage corners. And if Pittsburgh refuses to budge, the alternative is ugly too: carrying the Porter distraction all season.
That’s the bind the Steelers are in now. A trade already felt like the last option. Now it may not even be a realistic one unless Pittsburgh is willing to take less than it wants.
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For the Steelers, the timing makes Porter a particularly interesting name to monitor. He has already built a strong body of work in Pittsburgh with three interceptions and 31 passes defended across three seasons, and that production is exactly why the ask from another team would have to be substantial. For now, the inquiry is just that, but it adds another layer to a Steelers offseason that may not be done forcing tough roster conversations. [Read more 🡒]
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