Executives Just Really Hurt Steelers' Joey Porter Jr's Chances Of $30 Million Per Year Contract After Latest Poll

The Pittsburgh Steelers did a heck of a job during Omar Khan's first go-around as the man in charge during a NFL Draft. Back in 2023, the front office selected several productive players who are now all in line for extensions. While some have already been paid, the situations for Keeanu Benton and Joey Porter Jr. have not yet been resolved. Porter is the more interesting candidate because he has played like one of the best cornerbacks in the league. His 2025 campaign was his strongest as a professional, so it wouldn't come as a shock if his camp was asking for $30 million per season.

It would make the most sense for the Steelers and Porter to find common ground prior to the 2026 campaign beginning. No one wants to have to deal with any kind of franchise tag when 2027 rolls around. The problems that may arise are guaranteed money and annual average value. This could be a sticking point and the defender might think he is worth more than the front office does.

The best way to try and gauge the situation is comparing Porter to some of the corners throughout the league that are paid the most. Trent McDuffie recently inked a deal with the Los Angeles Rams that is set to pay him right around $31 million per season. Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is right around $30 million per campaign, which is a number Porter may be shooting for.

However, it appears as if decision-makers across the league don't truly believe that Porter is worth that kind of money. ESPN recently published its cornerback rankings based on conversations with top-level executives, and Porter was not even in the top-10. Coming in ahead of him were Philadelphia Eagles cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, as well as Denzel Ward from the Cleveland Browns, among others.

Porter was listed in the "Honorable Mention" section, which showed a little bit of respect, as Jeremy Fowler quoted what was said about the Steelers defender by a coach from the NFC.

"He takes all the stress off the pass defense. He matches the best receiver in man coverage, and teams roll away from him in zone," an NFC defensive coach told ESPN.

All-in-all, this recent poll somewhat proves that those across the league don't truly view Porter as a top-5, or even top-10, cornerback. The belief might be different in the Steelers' building; however, this is a notable development as it gives a little bit of clarity on how Pittsburgh's decision-makers may look at the defender in terms of how valuable he is.

Pittsburgh should still be trying to act quickly when it comes to this potential extension, as other top secondary players across the NFL are also seeking extensions. The market could hypothetically be reset any day. What happens with other guys who play the position could end up giving Porter's camp more leverage. That doesn't change the fact, though, that some out there don't fully believe he is worth anywhere near $30 million annually.

It will really get interesting when the Steelers begin training camp, specifically if no deal is agreed upon by then. The overwhelming expectation currently has to be that Porter will "hold-in" until he is compensated and has long-term security. It'd be irresponsible to think that Khan won't at least take a look at this information coming from Fowler, as it could provide even the smallest advantage to Pittsburgh's front office.

Steelers Can't Afford To Let Porter Walk To Free Agency In 2027

Pittsburgh finally hit the nail on the head when it came to drafting a cornerback. The franchise has not been great in that area throughout much of the 21st century. Now that Porter has proven he is capable of being a shutdown guy, it would be foolish to not extend him. Whether the guaranteed money or average annual value — or both — is what is important to the defender, the Steelers and him have to find some kind of common ground, regardless of any ESPN rankings.

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