While the Steelers hammered out extensions for two other 2023 draft picks, Joey Porter Jr. will be a tougher negotiation. For one thing, he’s an unquestioned starter, capable of logging 1,000-plus snaps if he stays healthy. Both Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington are great at what they do but are part of a group.
Even Jalen Ramsey acknowledges Porter is the guy for the Steelers when it comes to cornerback, but will they give him the contract extension that comes along with it? And what would it look like for a one-pick-per-year cornerback with no Pro Bowls? That, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, is what makes this so complicated
“I think it’s gonna be a tough negotiation with Joey Porter Jr.”, he said on 102.5 WDVE. “This group in particular, the cornerbacks, the market has absolutely skyrocketed. In 2024, Pat Surtain [II] won the Defensive Player of the Year and ended up signing a $24 million per year deal. Then he got surpassed, leapfrogged significantly, by Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley Jr., and Trent McDuffie, who are now making $30 million a year or more themselves”.
While Joey Porter sees himself as a top NFL cornerback, I don’t know that he also expects to top $30 million on his contract extension. Even he knows that he needs to pick off more passes, for example. But there’s no denying his skill, and the market is just as much about timing.
“Just [Tuesday], the Denver Broncos went back and they gave Surtain another $5 million with a chance to earn $5 million more in incentives”, DeFabo pointed out, a move made to correct the market. “It’s not always the best corner, the best player at a certain position, is the highest paid. It’s often a very good player who most recently negotiated his contract. I don’t know that I would put Joey Porter Jr. just yet in the Sauce Gardner type of category”.
Right now, it’s the three aforementioned cornerbacks sitting atop the market at $30 million-plus. McDuffie is in the lead at $31 million, which, surely, Pittsburgh will not surpass. In total, there are nine cornerbacks making $20 million-plus per season. That includes three in the $24-25 million range. Where in that range will Joey Porter’s new contract extension fit?
Well, we don’t know when it will happen, but we can assume that it will. It’s just too big of a move not to make, and the Steelers understand the market. If they don’t sign Porter to a big contract extension, someone will give him the money he’s looking for next year in free agency.
In three seasons, Porter has 3 interceptions with 31 passes defensed, 165 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. While he finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting as a rookie, he has yet to make a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team. His talent is being recognized around the league, however, and he could be poised for a breakout year. And then we’ll be talking about him resetting the market.
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