The Joey Porter Jr. situation in Pittsburgh is seemingly growing and evolving every day. The talented fourth-year cornerback has been waiting months for a contract extension, and the Steelers aren't willing to comply — at least not to Porter's liking. According to ESPN's Brooke Pryor and Jeremy Fowler, the biggest issue is the Steelers' reluctance to guarantee money long-term, an organizational precedent they have broken only for stars.
Porter, 26, believes he's a star of that caliber; Pittsburgh isn't quite there. Porter's absence has also had its twists and turns. He was officially on the physically unable to perform list throughout training camp with a back injury, though Mike McCarthy later pointed to his absence as contract-related.
Even this week, Porter was listed as a limited participant Wednesday with "Not Injury Related -- conditioning" as the reason. On Thursday, though, he was listed as limited due to the back injury. One source told ESPN, "I don't know if he ever puts on a Steelers uniform again." It should be noted that ESPN reports the Steelers have "neither made nor received any serious inquiries" regarding Porter, though Porter did request a trade.
One source, per ESPN, believes Porter plus a quality Day 3 pick could fetch a second-round selection. Joey Porter Jr. has been very good for the Steelers since going 32nd overall in 2023. At 6-foot-2, he has impressive size and physicality, especially at the catch point.
The Penn State product allowed just a 42% completion percentage as the primary defender last year, according to Pro Football Focus, the second-lowest number in the league behind Quinyon Mitchell (min. 50 targets). He was even better in man coverage, allowing an NFL-low 35.3% completion percentage in those scenarios (min. 30 man coverage targets). That was just a tick better than the player currently topping the cornerback market: the Patriots' Christian Gonzalez.
Furthermore, Porter has improved in several statistical areas throughout his career. Porter can get a little too physical — his 14 defensive pass interference penalties are the most since he entered the NFL in 2023, and his five defensive holds are tied for eighth-most — but he is generally a very good corner who can take on the toughest assignments. Because Porter was a second-round pick, he has no fifth-year option attached to his rookie deal.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
