Training camp starts in two weeks, and Pittsburgh Steelers fans now have another pessimistic Joey Porter Jr. contract update. The former Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback is entering the final year of his deal, and the two sides have not reached an agreement yet. One ESPN insider now believes the pair isn’t close, and fans may want to start mentally preparing for life without him beyond the upcoming season.
Steelers Fans Receive Unsettling Joey Porter Jr. Contract Update Before Training Camp
Pittsburgh is notorious for not negotiating contract extensions with players once the regular season begins, as the organization wants to be completely focused on football. According to ESPN writer Bill Barnwell, Steelers fans could potentially be seeing the last of Porter Jr. this year.
“Porter has been excellent over his first three seasons, notably while allowing a 57.2 passer rating in coverage last season,” Barnwell wrote for ESPN on Thursday. “The Steelers don’t seem close to a new deal with their top cornerback, though, and as a second-round pick, Porter is only one year away from unrestricted free agency. Teams might want to wait and see if they can land Porter for free on the open market in 12 months.”
The original goal was to have a new deal done before the start of training camp, but this just went from bad to worse for a Porter Jr. contract update. Barnwell’s last statement about Porter Jr. hitting the open market suggests the two sides aren’t anywhere close to a potential deal. This comes after red flags were already spotted throughout the negotiation process.
Joey Porter Jr. Contract Update Increases Likelihood of Training Camp Hold-In
Every day that passes without a deal being reached increases the odds that Porter Jr. holds in during training camp. The veteran cornerback has enough knowledge to know he is better served by showing up and not participating rather than not being there at all. It also eliminates the possibility of him being fined for not being there.
Porter witnessed this work for his teammates, T.J. Watt, who went through a similar process in 2021 when he was fighting for a contract extension before a deal was agreed to just days before the season opener. It’s certainly not the Porter Jr. contract update Steelers fans were hoping for, as everyone wanted it to be done before training camp even started.
The latest NFL CBA did not remove the ability for players to hold in, as the NFLPA would have never approved this change due to players losing leverage.
Length of Potential Hold-In After Joey Porter Jr. Contract Update is Unclear
Steelers fans were on the edge of their seats in 2021 when the final days before the season opener were passing by without an agreement between Watt and the team. If (or when) Porter Jr. decides to hold in this year, it’s anyone’s guess if he will be willing to let this carry into the regular season. If this is not sorted out by the middle of August, his status for Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons becomes a question for first-year head coach Mike McCarthy.
Many projections have Porter Jr. eventually signing a deal at approximately $25 million per year. This would put him among the five highest-paid cornerbacks in the league if his average annual value were $25 million. If the two sides agreed to a deal around $20 million per year, Porter Jr. would slot into the top 10 for AAV among NFL cornerbacks.
Main Photo Courtesy of Peter Casey – Imagn Images
