Steelers Officially Have A Contract Problem As Joey Porter Jr Begins Hold-In

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a lot of moving parts during the 2026 offseason as the organization had to worry about bringing in a new coaching staff, while also waiting for a decision from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Those were two difficult things to work through, but the franchise managed to put together a pretty decent offseason in both free agency and during the 2026 NFL Draft. It is fair to say that the roster has improved in comparison to what it looked like at this point during the 2025 offseason, but there is still some work to do. Players drafted back in 2023 are now eligible for extensions, and the Steelers should want to lock some guys down.

Players that headline Pittsburgh's 2023 draft class include cornerback Joey Porter Jr., defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, outside linebacker Nick Herbig, and tight end Darnell Washington. All four players are probably deserving of extensions, but it is fair to assume that at least one won't be extended before the 2026 season begins. The most important player from this group to get extended is probably Porter as his game continues to improve year after year. He is on his way to becoming an All-Pro level cornerback. This extension is going to be lucrative, so it is expected to take a good amount of time. The expectation is that he will hold-in until a deal gets done, and that can bleed all the way into training camp.

Beat writer Chris Halicke of DK Pittsburgh Sports reported after Organized Team Activities (OTAs) began that Porter was present, but not taking part in any drills. This is a classic sign of someone preparing to hold-in.

"But perhaps the most intriguing case is Joey Porter Jr. He's attended both OTAs thus far, but has not taken part in anything with his teammates, even the stretching portion when the media can shoot video and take pictures," Halicke wrote. "This could be a sign that Porter is preparing to be a hold-in, though calling it that during a voluntary workout would be irresponsible. If he's doing the same thing come mandatory minicamp June 2, that would be different."

A hold-in is when a player is present, but not participating. This way the player does not get hurt in the middle of negotiations, and it is also less of a distraction to the team. OTAs are voluntary, so it can't really be considered a hold-in quite yet, but if this is what Porter is doing once mandatory minicamp starts, it can be classified as a legitimate hold-in.

Deals that are longer and involve more money are always going to take longer to get done. That is especially true with a general manager like Omar Khan. He is known for his knowledge of the cap and his ability to maneuver the financial side of contracts to benefit the franchise, and that takes time to do.

Another factor to consider is other cornerbacks patiently waiting for extensions during the 2026 offseason. This includes Christian Gonzalez and Devin Witherspoon, who each will also command a lot of money. Gonzalez will probably earn the biggest pay day out of the bunch, while Witherspoon will come in second.

Steelers Are Lucky Porter Has Not Been Given The Recognition He Deserves

Porter has not been given any major accolades quite yet, although he has been deserving over the last two seasons. Gonzalez and Witherspoon have, which is going to drive their price up. They also each just played in the Super Bowl. Porter has not had that kind of success yet, but there is no doubt that it is likely somewhere in his future. 

It will be interesting to see how he gets paid in relation to the other two cornerbacks.

What do you think about Porter potentially holding in until his contract situation is figured out? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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