The Pittsburgh Steelers are typically pretty good when it comes to cap space, and that is due to General Manager Omar Khan being known as a "cap expert." He knows how to structure deals in such a way that the franchise can get out of them if needed, but the deals also make the players feel as though they are earning what they are worth. No matter how good Khan is at spending money, hard decisions are always going to have to be made. Pittsburgh might be forced into making one of those decisions during the 2026 offseason, as the market value at the cornerback position has sky-rocketed.
New York Jets / Associated Press
New York Jets' Sauce Gardner (1).
Sauce Gardner was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he started his career on a high note. He was a Pro Bowler and a First Team All-Pro player during his first two seasons, but he did have a quiet year in 2024. He still has two more years left on his rookie deal, but New York decided to be proactive with extending its star cornerback by giving him a four-year extension on Tuesday. The deal was initially reported by Ian Rapoport, and it is worth a total value of $120.4 million.
🚨 🚨 🚨
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2025
The #Jets and All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner have agreed to terms on a massive new extension, making him the highest-paid CB in NFL history, per The Insiders.
It’s a 4-year, $120.4M deal — $30.1M per year — done by his team - agent @ajv and @allantegardner of @vaynersports. pic.twitter.com/T0Hfr9Pd0P
Gardner becomes the league's highest-paid cornerback, and he is just the second cornerback in the NFL to eclipse an average annual value of $30 million per season. The market has clearly been reset, as Pat Surtain II, the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is already fifth amongst cornerbacks when it comes to contract value. He signed his extension back ahead of the 2024 season.
AP photo
Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has fully immersed himself in the secondary, as he's been the most productive guy in that room so far.
The reason this could be an issue for Pittsburgh is that Joey Porter Jr. is eligible for an extension after the 2025 season. The young defender has been good so far in his career, but he has had some areas where he has struggled. He has been a bit too physical at times which has led to penalties, and he only has two interceptions to begin his career.
He clearly has what it takes to be one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL, and if he can put it all together during the 2025 season, there is a world where Pittsburgh could be paying him something similar to what Gardner just got from the Jets. Porter doesn't have any of the accolades that Gardner does, so there is no reason to think he would make more than him, but he could find himself in the top five highest-paid cornerbacks.
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Has All The Tools To Show Some Major Improvement In 2025
Porter has struggled some, but he has also been reliable on the outside. He has been able to lockdown some impressive wide receivers, and he should be able to do that more often now that he will be under the tutelage of both Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey. Both players were acquired by Pittsburgh during the 2025 offseason, and they have been two of the better defensive backs in the league over the last decade.
Matt Rourke / Associated Press
Pittsburgh Steelers' new cornerback addition Darius Slay during a 2024 regular season game with the Philadelphia Eagles.
They could be able to help Porter take that next step in his game, which should lead to some better play. This will force the franchise to spend more to extend him.
What do you think about the new extension for Gardner? Let us know in the comments below!
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