Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has been seeking a long-term contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. One tactic Porter used to try and land the new deal was sitting out offseason workouts.
The move, though, may end up having the opposite impact the cornerback wished.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac implied on FOX Sports Pittsburgh on Wednesday night Porter missing spring practices gave Mike McCarthy and the other new Steelers coaches a bad first impression.
“He did not do himself any favors coming in with a new coaching staff and not doing anything in the spring,” said Dulac. “That did not sit well with them.”
Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle wrote Wednesday that Porter was present for all spring workouts. But he didn’t participate.
Porter is now not participating in training camp this week because of a back injury. The Steelers surprisingly placed the cornerback on the physically unable to perform list Tuesday.
Steelers Not Pleased Joey Porter Jr. Sat Out Offseason Workouts?
GettyPittsburgh Steelers insider Gerry Dulac argued cornerback Joey Porter Jr. may have upset the team’s new coaching staff by not participating in spring workouts.
Under normal circumstances, Porter missing spring workouts wouldn’t have been a significant deal. Most spring practices are voluntary, and it’s typical for players seeking contract extensions to not participate.
But the timing for Porter was bad. The Steelers almost have an entirely new coaching staff. While a vast majority of the team’s veterans practiced under the new coaches in the spring, Porter didn’t.
It’s also worth nothing that Porter isn’t a superstar. That matters when it comes to offseason participation.
“It’s understandable why Porter followed the new league norm to protect his leverage, but he doesn’t have the same history with this coaching staff that previous Steelers players did,” wrote McCorkle. “Heyward and Watt had years of built-up trust and production that allowed them to navigate those situations differently.”
Porter Sidelined at Steelers Training Camp With Back Injury
GettyCornerback Joey Porter Jr. is on the PUP list to begin Pittsburgh Steelers training camp with a back injury.
Dulac didn’t note whether Porter missing the spring will have a long-term impact on his relationship with the Steelers. But Dulac does see the Steelers still trying to sign Porter to an extension.
“I don’t know that that’s going to affect the contract that he’s gonna sign,” added Dulac. “He’s gonna get a nice piece of money, and he should because they can’t afford not to sign him.”
Whether Porter gets a deal before the start of the 2026 regular season, though, appears to be uncertain. The cornerback has indicated publicly this offseason that he should be one of the top-paid cornerbacks in the league.
But Dulac reported Thursday the Steelers do not view Porter as a “shutdown corner” and therefore, won’t pay him as one. The Steelers insider argued Porter won’t get $25 million per season.
Still, if Porter gets $24-25 million per year, he will be ranked sixth among all cornerbacks in average annual salary.
After sitting out the spring, an aggravated back injury has now sidelined Porter at training camp. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported Porter re-injured his back on Tuesday morning.
Insider Suggests Joey Porter Jr. Was in Hot Water With New Steelers Coaching Staff