Steelers Finally Have Great Joey Porter Jr News As Star Defender Returns

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been dealing with some contract dilemmas throughout the 2026 offseason. A lot of those contract issues had to do with the 2023 draft class, which is a very good sign. It means the organization drafted well and that a lot of players selected during that year were extremely deserving of lucrative second deals with the franchise. Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington, and Keeanu Benton have already signed extensions, while there is still a negotiation battle going on with cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

Porter is coming off a career year in 2025, which was perfect timing for him as he became eligible to sign an extension after the season ended. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he would currently hit free agency in March of the 2027 offseason. He didn't practice during the offseason program or during his time in Latrobe. He was holding-in in the spring, but the team placed him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list before training camp began with the reasoning being back soreness. It was probably just a business move, and he was activated off of that list on Sunday.

There were questions about whether or not Porter would return to practice immediately. Some thought he would hold-in until a deal is agreed to, but it seems like Porter is taking the field on Tuesday for a team walk-through, with the expectation being that he will continue to be ramped up during practice. Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke to the media about this on Tuesday, and in the background players were heard welcoming Porter back to the practice field.

"It's going to be a ramp up," McCarthy said. "His communication has been great in working with the medical people, so there's definitely a process. There's an understanding of what he was going through there with the injuries. There's a process that every single one of these players has gone through when it comes to ramping up."

McCarthy did not really address the gigantic elephant in the room that is Porter's current contract situation, but it seems like there is a good understanding that the cornerback is going to be returning to the practice field and ramping up as the days go by on the way to the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

It has seemed like things have been trending in the wrong direction when it comes to Porter's current negotiations with the Steelers. There have not been many inspiring reports, and it seems like the two sides are still pretty far apart when it comes to how valuable Porter is as a cornerback. Porter believes he deserves to be paid near the top of the market, which has increased significantly, but the organization does not agree. If an extension is going to get done, one side is going to have to cave.

Steelers Have Multiple Ways To Play This

If a deal cannot be reached before the regular season begins, the franchise tag is going to be an option. The Steelers do not conduct contractual business once the season begins, so there is a hard deadline on this. If a deal can't be reached, Pittsburgh would probably look to tag Porter after the season, and that would still give time to both sides to work out an extension. The only thing that would hurt Porter is that he would not be able to test his value on the open market in free agency.

If a deal can't be agreed to, Porter's two options for the 2026 season would be to play, or to hold out. Holding out once the season begins is extremely risky, and fans in Pittsburgh remember the saga that occurred with running back Le'Veon Bell. The best-case scenario would be for an extension to get done as soon as possible.

What do you think about Porter returning to the practice field? 

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