Joey Porter Jr.’s situation in Pittsburgh just got a lot more expensive.
The Steelers cornerback is still on the PUP list after getting hurt during the team’s conditioning test, and while the injury explanation is what’s on the record, his absence has already carried real offseason consequences. Porter has not been a major part of the Steelers’ program, and that matters because the market around him keeps moving upward.
The latest push came when the Cleveland Browns extended Denzel Ward at $31.1 million per year, a number that tops what Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie had been making. If Porter wants to reset the cornerback market, that next deal would almost certainly have to clear Ward’s figure.
For the Steelers, that creates a tougher path to keeping one of their top defensive pieces in Pittsburgh long term. They have not extended Porter yet, and that has left him on the outside of much of the offseason work. General manager Omar Khan said nothing was imminent in terms of a deal, though he did say he expected all healthy players to practice.
Porter missed much of the spring and was often seen riding a bike off to the side of the field. With more time now lost in the summer, there’s a real chance he falls behind in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s scheme.
Whether the PUP designation is simply covering for a hold-in or something else entirely remains unclear. What is clear is that the Steelers’ cost to re-sign Porter keeps climbing, and now it may take more than $30 million per year to keep him in Pittsburgh before the season starts, which is the goal the team has said publicly it wants to reach.
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Howard still has time to change that conversation once camp and the preseason begin, and that is where this gets interesting for the Steelers. A new coaching staff has every reason to take a long look at all its options, but it also has a veteran in Rudolph who already knows how to handle the role. For Howard, the next few weeks are less about hype and more about proving he can force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Porter Jr. May Be Pricing Himself Into A Steelers Standoff
Joey Porter Jr. has become one of the Steelers most important contract decisions, and the shape of the market around him is making the conversation harder, not easier. Pittsburgh and its young cornerback still have not bridged the gap on an extension, with the disagreement centered on average annual salary and how Porter should be valued against the leagues top corners.
Recent talks for other premium defensive backs have only sharpened the stakes, because every big number at the position gives Porter another reason to press his case. The Steelers also have to keep an eye on the rest of their extension pipeline, which means this one is not happening in a vacuum and could linger as Pittsburgh tries to balance present value with future cap planning. [Read more 🡒]