Joey Porter Jr. remains without a contract extension as the Pittsburgh Steelers approach their Week 1 deadline for negotiations. (Image via Getty Images)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon recently set the mark at $33 million per year. Denzel Ward, Trent McDuffie, Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. are also set to average more than $30 million annually on their latest deals. The projected franchise tag for a cornerback in 2027 is roughly $23 million, according to Over the Cap. That figure sits about $10 million below Witherspoon’s annual average. Pittsburgh has already extended three players from Porter’s 2023 draft class. 13 significant for more than the Steelers’ opener against the Atlanta Falcons. If Porter and Pittsburgh cannot reach an agreement before Week 1, contract talks could effectively stop until after the season. Whether it has him under a new contract, or even committed to playing Week 1, remains unresolved.
Fowler reported that those numbers could make Pittsburgh hesitant.
Porter said he was happy for his teammates. “I was really just happy that they got theirs done,” Porter said. “It’s been tough, not going to lie,” Porter said.
The Steelers also have another option if Porter plays out the season. Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington and Keeanu Benton received new deals while Porter continues to wait. “I came in with those guys, me, Herb, and Keeanu and even Washington, we all came in together. Those are my guys. So I was ecstatic that they got paid. His own negotiations have been harder. “It’s my first go around [with] this. Steelers general manager Omar Khan added another clock to the situation Monday. Pittsburgh will maintain its longstanding policy of refusing to negotiate contracts once the regular season begins. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines That makes Sept. Porter has not promised he will play without a new deal. For now, Pittsburgh still has its starting cornerback back at practice. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
With Week 1 approaching, the Steelers’ own contract policy has turned a slow negotiation into a deadline. Porter is entering the final year of his rookie deal with a $4.9 million cap hit. Meanwhile, the top of the cornerback market has moved well beyond $30 million in average annual salary.
Because of a back injury in July, he had been placed on the physically unable to perform list. Because pittsburgh does not have much time to resolve it, that uncertainty matters. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that Pittsburgh’s failure to make a formal contract offer for weeks prompted Porter to consider requesting a trade or sitting out for an extended period. They are all-in on his ability as a high-level cover man,” Fowler reported.
The Steelers’ lack of movement left Porter with a clear impression about how Pittsburgh wanted to handle the final year of his rookie contract, according to Fowler. “Sources say the Steelers’ lack of a formal offer for weeks sent the clear message to Porter that they would like him to play out the final year of his rookie contract, which prompted him to consider the possibility of a trade or sitting out for an extended period,” Fowler reported. Fowler also reported that “the Steelers most likely would do a deal with Porter,” while adding that the rising cornerback market could complicate negotiations. “I’m told the new coaching staff is not a deterrent here. Porter told reporters that the injury was the “whole reason” for his absence. “I don’t know,” Porter said. “Yeah, for sure,” he said before pausing and adding, “maybe.
Joey Porter Jr. reportedly received a message from the Pittsburgh Steelers without the team having to say much at all. That does not mean Pittsburgh wants Porter gone. The coaching staff also appears to want Porter in Pittsburgh. Porter returned to practice Tuesday after spending most of training camp and the preseason sidelined. His answer about playing without an extension, however, created another issue. Asked whether he would play on his expiring contract, Porter did not commit. “I got to talk to the guys upstairs and my agents about that. Money sits at the center of the discussion.
Minutes earlier, Porter initially sounded more certain when asked whether he would play if healthy.