The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the news quite a bit over the last couple of weeks due to the ongoing contract negotiations with star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he wants a contract extension before he steps back onto the field. The two sides haven't seemed to gain any ground on a potential deal, but several insiders have remained confident that a deal will get done before the regular season begins.
Kirby Lee / Imagn Images
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. before a practice in Dublin, Ireland during the 2025 season.
The Steelers do not normally conduct contractual business during the regular season, and that is how the team has always operated. This puts a firm deadline on a potential extension for Porter, and the two sides have to work to get it done well before the regular season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. If a deal does not get done, Porter could sit out going into the regular season or he could even be traded.
Pittsburgh fans will be happy as some news dropped on Thursday suggesting that an extension for Porter could be on the way. Field Yates reported that the Steelers restructured the contract of DK Metcalf, which opened up some cap space.
"The Steelers have restructured the contract of WR DK Metcalf, converting base salary into a signing bonus and creating nearly $18M in 2026 salary cap space," Yates posted on X.
This cleared cap space for the 2026 season as some of Metcalf's base salary was converted to a signing bonus. This gives the Steelers more cap space and flexibility, but it is also a move that could be preparing them to extend Porter.
Barry Reeger / Imagn Images
Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. walks off the field after a playoff loss during the 2025 season.
Metcalf's base salary for the 2026 season was $25 million, so if the Steelers created an additional $18 million in cap space then his base salary should now be in the range of $7 million for the 2026 season. This could just be so the organization has some financial flexibility going into the season, but it also hints that a bigger extension could be on the horizon.
Steelers Need Cap Space For A Signing Bonus
Porter's extension wouldn't begin until the 2027 season, but the franchise would need cap space now for a large signing bonus. That would also be a part of the guaranteed money in the deal, which could be front-loaded. Some other restructures could be done throughout the roster to free up even more cap space, but there is a good chance that a Porter extension is coming after this news involving Metcalf's contract. The Steelers hope to wrap this up and be drama-free heading into the 2026 season.
Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X (@brogannoey) and consider following for more Steelers-related content and discussion. I’m always open to hearing different perspectives, breaking down games, and talking all things Pittsburgh football.
#SteelerNation