The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in a standoff with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as they continue negotiating contract extension details. It appears the organization would like Porter to finish his rookie contract before committing big money. With all of the buzz surrounding the potential possibilities and Week 1 just around the corner, something will have to give. General Manager Omar Khan will either need to give in and pay Porter what he's asking for, or the cornerback will have to play without security for his future.
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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) laughs on the sideline while watching a practice session at Saint Vincent College.
The Steelers are notorious for not negotiating contracts during the season, so there isn't much time left to close a deal. They have gotten deals done days before their first game and even within 24 hours of their first bout. If neither side gives in, it could create huge problems for both parties, as the team would be without its best defensive back, and Porter would miss games.
Reports have come out that Porter has considered a trade, but there has been no official request from the player. If Porter were to request a trade, he would bring back a very nice return. An NFC North team needs a cornerback of Porter's caliber who had a down season in 2025, but is still ready to win now with the team they have.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox recently wrote an article making six bold trade predictions before Week 1. Knox had Pittsburgh sending Porter to the Detroit Lions for their 2027 first-round pick. The Lions get a shutdown cornerback, and the Steelers receive another first-round pick that can be used as trade capital to move up for a quarterback.
"If things get to a point where the Steelers don't believe they can keep Porter, flipping him for a high 2027 pick will become an option for them. Aaron Rodgers isn't the future at quarterback, and while Pittsburgh may hope that either Will Howard or Drew Allar can be, it wouldn't hurt to have a pair of first-round picks in what is expected to be a QB-heavy draft," Knox wrote. "The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, could be prompted to make an aggressive move for a defensive difference-maker like Porter."
Trading Porter would not be ideal for the Steelers, as it would open another hole on their roster. Cornerback is a position the organization hasn't invested much in, using plug-ins like Donte Jackson, Levi Wallace, Patrick Peterson, and Darius Slay over the years. As a result, they have struggled to find consistent play in the back end, and losing one of the premier man-to-man cornerbacks would restart the process.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Darius Slay celebrates on the sideline after a big play against the New England Patriots in Week 3 of the 2025 season.
On the other hand, sending Porter to Detroit for their first-round pick would give them excellent trade capital to move up for a signal-caller. Quarterback is the toughest position to get right in the NFL, and the Steelers have made their attempts. After trying with players like Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Justin Fields, they started to resort to older veterans like Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Acquiring another first-round pick to move up in the 2027 NFL Draft could be the move that gets them their next franchise player.
Steelers Should Weigh Their Options
Porter is undoubtedly one of the young star cornerbacks in the NFL and may be the Steelers' most important piece on defense. If a deal appears to be out of reach, it may be in their best interest to get a return for the former Penn State standout and move on. Losing Porter is already a big hit, but losing him in free agency in the 2027 offseason would be even worse.
Hopefully, the Steelers get a deal done and he stays in the Black and Gold, but if things go south, grabbing another first-round pick wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
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