The Steelers still don’t have a firm answer on Joey Porter Jr. as the regular season draws near, and that uncertainty has created a clear opening for Asante Samuel Jr.
Porter Jr. and Pittsburgh are still working through the details of a contract extension, and he hasn’t said whether he’ll suit up on the final year of his rookie deal. If he’s out, the ripple effect reaches the rest of the cornerback room immediately.
Samuel Jr. has already been in the middle of that shift all preseason. With Porter Jr. on the Physically Unable to Perform list, Samuel Jr. has spent the summer working as a starting corner, and he’s handled the job well. Week 1 is almost here, and he says his approach doesn’t change no matter who is available.
"I just prepare like I always been preparing," he said. "Even if Joey was here or he wasn't here, it doesn't change anything for me."
That steady mindset has defined Samuel Jr.’s second year with the organization. After a neck injury cost him more than a year of his career, he’s looked fully back. Last season, in a backup role in the secondary, he showed strong coverage ability and delivered some solid open-field tackles.
He also took full advantage of his chances in 2025, and that momentum has carried into 2026. With Porter Jr. sidelined during the preseason, Samuel Jr. stood out while matching up often with DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson. Both receivers had strong training camps, but they looked ordinary against ASJ.
Samuel Jr. is still performing like a starter, and that gives Pittsburgh something valuable: real depth, and another player who can function as a third starter in the secondary.
"It's definitely good to show this team that I'm still who I am," he told Noah Strackbein of Steelers On SI.
The bigger issue now is what Porter Jr.’s looming extension means for Samuel Jr.’s future. If Pittsburgh commits roughly $30 million per year to its top defensive back, that could make it harder to keep Samuel Jr. when he needs his next deal. He’s also set for a new contract for 2027, and the way he has played has positioned him for a major raise from the $4 million he is owed this year.
That leaves the Steelers with a decision point in the days ahead. If Porter Jr. and the team finalize the extension, it may point toward Samuel Jr.’s last season in Pittsburgh. If the deal never comes together, though, the possibility of a return in 2027 stays alive.
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Arizonas interest makes sense with Will Johnson sidelined by a lower-body injury and five cornerbacks already on the active roster. For Pittsburgh, Jamisons quick landing is another reminder of how fluid the back end of the roster can be once cutdown day passes and teams start looking for experienced cover help. [Read more 🡒]
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Pickens time in Pittsburgh had plenty of talent but also enough friction to make the choice easier to understand in hindsight. The fines and on-field incidents that followed him through his Steelers tenure were part of the backdrop, and Tomlins comments made clear those issues mattered when the team weighed what it wanted next at the position. The larger question now is how far Pittsburgh was willing to go to draw that line, and what it says about the standard the front office wants to keep enforcing. [Read more 🡒]