The Pittsburgh Steelers have their sights set on their Week 1 clash with the Atlanta Falcons, but off the field, this team still has some issues brewing with star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. All offseason long, the Steelers have been trying to sign Porter to a contract extension, but the two sides have failed to find any sort of common ground.
With the unofficial deadline for a contract extension to be reached just over 24 hours away, time is running out for a deal to get done here. Pittsburgh has made it clear it wants to keep Porter around, but according to a new report, it sounds like there isn’t much optimism that a deal will be agreed to before the start of the season.
Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. Continue to Struggle With Contract Extension Talks
While Porter was the No. 32 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he ended up being the first pick of the second round (rather than the last selection of the first round) because the Miami Dolphins were forced to forfeit their first-round pick as a result of an investigation into unauthorized talks the team had with Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
That may seem unimportant, but it has actually had a major impact on the Steelers’ situation with Porter. Rather than having the opportunity to exercise a fifth-year option in his rookie contract (which is part of every first-round pick’s first pro deal), Porter is now set to hit the open market this upcoming offseason if he doesn’t receive a new deal from Pittsburgh.
Throughout the offseason, Porter hasn’t been shy in expressing his dissatisfaction with how these contract negotiations have unfolded. While he has been practicing as of late, it’s been on a fairly limited basis, raising questions as to whether or not he will play in Week 1. Simply put, there’s a lot of drama that could be resolved if the two sides could agree to a contract. Per NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, though, there isn’t much optimism surrounding a new deal here.
“I haven’t sensed optimism in this situation throughout, even though the Steelers seem to be trying a little bit this week, but the player has been frustrated to the point where he’s had to entertain his options,” Fowler said on “The Insiders.”
Steelers Need to Make a Decision on Joey Porter Jr.’s Contract Situation
The Steelers have found themselves in a tough spot with Porter. While they want to keep him around, they don’t want to overpay in order to do so. If they don’t give him the sort of deal he wants, though, they risk having him miss time this season before potentially leaving for nothing in free agency next offseason.
Pittsburgh needs to make a final decision on Porter, as it can either go all-in on these talks or break them off and focus on the 2026 campaign. Time is running out for something to get done, and the longer Porter goes without receiving a new deal, the more likely it is that his long-term future will be spent with a different team.
Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. Contract Extension Rumors Receive Worrying Update