Steelers’ Omar Khan Holds Growing Advantage Over Joey Porter Jr

The Pittsburgh Steelers have watched Joey Porter Jr.'s contract situation become more expensive and more complicated throughout the offseason. Every new cornerback extension has seemingly strengthened Porter's position, but Mark Kaboly believes the negotiations contain a major advantage for Pittsburgh that many people are overlooking.

Porter can pursue the largest possible payday, and the Steelers can continue leaning on their traditional negotiating discipline. Neither side has to panic yet. However, the consequences of entering the regular season without long-term security would fall much more heavily on the player.

That reality is why Kaboly remains confident that Pittsburgh and Porter will reach an agreement before the 2026 season begins. When Bob Pompeani asked him directly about his confidence during Thursday's discussion on 93.7 The Fan, Kaboly laughed before providing a simple explanation.

"Yeah," Kaboly said. "JPJ [Joey Porter Jr.] does not want to play on the franchise tag."

Porter is entering the final season of his rookie contract, meaning a new agreement would protect him against the financial consequences of a significant injury or disappointing season. Without an extension, he would have to accept those risks before potentially facing the franchise tag in 2027.

The tag would still pay Porter an enormous one-year salary. As Kaboly noted, however, it would provide no long-term guarantees beyond that season. That difference gives Omar Khan leverage, particularly if Porter and his representatives value security as much as their place within the cornerback market.

Many fans believe the asking price increases every day that Khan waits. That fear became even easier to understand after Devon Witherspoon reportedly received a four-year, $132 million extension from Seattle, including more than $101 million guaranteed. The deal carries an average value of $33 million per season and establishes a massive ceiling for young cornerbacks.

Kaboly believes Porter's price has already been established. Instead of placing Pittsburgh in a weaker position, every additional day without an agreement brings Porter closer to assuming the physical and financial risks of playing another NFL season without long-term protection.

"I think the price is pretty much set right now, but here's the problem: How about the Steelers say, 'Okay, we will wait?'" Kaboly said. "Now you've got to play a whole season, possibly getting hurt, then have a chance to possibly get franchise-tagged next year. I know it's $29 million or $30 million next year, but there's no guarantee after that. So I think the longer it goes on, it's a benefit to the Steelers."

Kaboly's point changes the entire perception of the standoff. Khan does not necessarily need the cornerback market to stop rising. He needs Porter to decide that securing generational money now is more valuable than chasing every available dollar later.

Waiting still carries danger for Pittsburgh. Porter could dominate in 2026, strengthen his argument and force the organization into an even more uncomfortable negotiation. Another team could eventually become willing to exceed the Steelers' preferred structure if Porter reaches the open market.

The NFL creates risk for everyone involved. One injury could dramatically damage Porter's earning power, while one elite season could make Pittsburgh regret not completing the extension sooner. That uncertainty is exactly why an agreement remains the most logical result for both parties.

Steelers Should Find The Winning Number

A deal worth approximately $28 million per season feels like the realistic compromise. It would place Porter among football's highest-paid cornerbacks without requiring Pittsburgh to match Witherspoon's record-setting average. The exact guarantees and structure would matter just as much as the headline number.

Khan has repeatedly shown that he can structure major contracts without abandoning the Steelers' long-term financial plan. Porter has already become a foundational member of the defense, and allowing the relationship to deteriorate over the final difference would create an unnecessary distraction.

The strongest prediction remains that Pittsburgh completes the extension before Week 1. Porter gains security, Khan avoids a future franchise-tag battle and the Steelers preserve an essential defensive building block. The waiting game contains risk, but Kaboly's explanation shows why the pressure may currently be working in Pittsburgh's favor.

Share your Steelers opinions with me on X (@anthonyghalkias), and let me know what Porter should earn annually. Follow for more Steelers coverage and discussion as Khan approaches another major deadline. 

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