This one's been simmering all camp, but it just got a lot more real. Joey Porter Jr is entering the final year of his rookie deal, he's dealing with a back injury that's kept him off the practice field on PUP, and according to Adam Schefter, the Steelers haven't come close to hammering out an extension with their No. 1 corner.
.@AdamSchefter on Joey Porter Jr: "The Steelers and Joey Porter Jr have never gotten close to a deal.. Could the Steelers get an offer that would be enough to make them think about trading Joey Porter Jr" (@PatMcAfeeShow)
Schefter's comments, delivered on the Pat McAfee Show, aren't just "talks are slow" filler. He specifically raised the idea that Pittsburgh could entertain trade offers if the right one landed on the table — a real shift in tone for a guy who's been one of the better young corners in football since Pittsburgh drafted him.
Context matters here. The corner market just exploded. Devon Witherspoon's extension in Seattle reportedly reset expectations, and Porter's camp is now believed to be looking at a deal in the range of 4 years and $120 million, with something like $90 million guaranteed. That's a massive number for a Steelers front office that has historically preferred to let these things simmer rather than overpay early.
There's also a structural wrinkle working against Porter: the Steelers have a longstanding policy of not negotiating extensions once the regular season starts. With Pittsburgh opening on September 13, that leaves a shrinking window to get something done before this turns into a full-blown standoff that drags into next offseason.
Schefter did throw a bit of cold water on the trade chatter too, pointing out that pulling off an actual deal this time of year is easier said than done — teams would have to give up real draft capital AND be ready to pay Porter what he wants, and there aren't many that check both boxes in August.
So where does this go? Either the Steelers find urgency they haven't shown yet and get a deal done before kickoff, or Porter plays out the year on his rookie number while trade calls keep coming in. Neither path is great for a defense that's leaned on him as a shutdown corner the last two seasons.