Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has the potential to be a one-helmet player over the course of his NFL career. His contract is up at the end of the upcoming season, and the organization knows it needs to get something done soon if it wants to prevent Porter from walking into free agency.
With just a few weeks remaining before training camp begins, the clock is ticking for him to put pen to paper. One NFL analyst believes there will be a major disconnect between Porter Jr. and the Steelers.
Analyst Spots Red Flag from Steelers Cornerback Ahead of Contract Extension Talks
Steelers Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Receives Harsh Criticism
Porter Jr. was one of the best players in the embarrassing wildcard loss to the Houston Texans in January. That will certainly add to his case, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle in the negotiations.
“There’s no fifth-year option at play here, so the Steelers need to re-sign him now to keep him around,” Aaron Schatz wrote for ESPN on Thursday. “Porter is a very talented cornerback who finished 10th in the league in my coverage DVOA metric last season. The problem is that Porter will want top-five cornerback money, and there isn’t necessarily evidence that he belongs in that stratosphere. Perhaps the Steelers can get him to agree to something that might be higher than they want to go but lower than what players such as Trent McDuffie and Sauce Gardner recently got paid.”
For context, McDuffie will be making an average annual salary of $31 million for the Los Angeles Rams in his new contract, while Gardner averages $30.1 million per year in a deal that followed him from the New York Jets to the Indianapolis Colts.
Schatz does have a point about Porter Jr., but the way it is written is deceiving. Steelers fans could easily read into that and walk away thinking Schatz does not think Porter Jr. is good at all. However, it appears he is simply trying to convey the Steelers’ cornerback is good but just not at the same level (yet).
Where Do Steelers Cornerback Negotiations Go From Here?
Based on how much the organization reportedly likes Porter Jr., it’s reasonable to expect a deal to get done. He will likely hold in at the beginning of training camp if a deal is not reached before the players report to Saint Vincent College on July 28. However, some contract restructures are very likely for the Steelers.
“They’re going to have to restructure at least one of those two (T.J. Watt and D.K. Metcalf), especially if — and when — they sign Porter,” Dulac wrote in his mailbag on Wednesday. “But I will tell you that is not happening anytime soon and could drag on. I don’t think the Steelers are in any rush to commit $25 or $30 million, if that’s what it takes, for Porter. (Keanu) Benton might be an easier deal to get done.”
If Porter is truly demanding between $25-$30 million per season, Steelers fans need to be prepared for this to go on for months and likely into the regular season. Ideally, Pittsburgh avoids another Le’Veon Bell saga, where he missed the entire season in 2018. However, that depends on how firm both sides are at the negotiation table.
One option for the Steelers could be to move on from defensive back Jalen Ramsey in the offseason and then try to bring him back at a lower price. This would help offset the cost of Porter Jr.’s extension if something is finalized.
Even though McDuffie just signed his big contract for the Rams in March, it is entirely possible the market resets based on Porter Jr.’s average annual value.
Main Photo Courtesy of Charles LeClaire – Imagn Images
