"Someone Has To Go": Steelers Extending Joey Porter Jr Will Have Huge Domino Effect

The Pittsburgh Steelers have always been a team that rewards former draft selections for strong performance and development. That has certainly been the case in the 2026 offseason with Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington both inking new deals that will keep them with the franchise for the foreseeable future. Back in 2023, general manager Omar Khan put together a phenomenal class, which is now turning out to be a bit of a burden. Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton are another pair of players who are in line for extensions as well, and the front office doesn't have much money left to play with.

The Herbig extension certainly was eye-opening, mainly due to the fact that Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt are the starters at the edge rusher position. Rumors immediately started to fly around that one could be put on the trade block because having over $80 million annually invested in that position isn't necessarily normal, especially when it is scattered across three separate deals.

According to Over The Cap, the Steelers only possess roughly $3 million in effective cap space. That number is not projected to be much higher in 2027 as of now, either. That means that there is going to have to be something significant that happens if the organization wants to sign Porter specifically. It could end up being worth roughly $25 million per season, or more.

Pittsburgh has not been afraid to give out money throughout the offseason, and while Benton is also likely in discussions with the front office, the more complicated situation is Porter's. If the franchise really does want to extend him and keep him around long-term, team insider Gerry Dulac noted in a Tuesday fan chat that something is going to have to give after the fact.

"It's a lot, that's for sure. I still believe someone has to go if and when they sign JPJ," Dulac wrote.

Those comments from the beat writer can be left out there for interpretation. It really does seem like, however, that Highsmith makes the most sense as a trade candidate. Herbig could be viewed as a full-time starter, and the Steelers have Watt in the building as well. However, restructuring a deal like DK Metcalf's could also give the team the ability to get a lot more wiggle room.

The salary cap is now going up every year in the NFL, and that should continue to occur. With that said, the Steelers are in a tough spot now after handing out plenty of extensions. The Porter deal is going to cause Khan to get creative, but there also might have to be a little bit of compromise. Dulac doesn't believe that the cornerback is going to end up getting some record-setting payday.

"I don't think he will be paid like a top 3-4 CB," Dulac noted. "I think it's more likely he will be paid like a top 10 CB."

This has the potential to end somewhat poorly, specifically due to the fact that the Steelers have not figured out how to draft the position for some time. Finally, the defense has a lockdown contributor that can be trusted in the secondary, but the franchise is going to have to really dig deep to find the financial capabilities to reward him. As was noted by Dulac, something might have to give, and that could absolutely be a domino falling in terms of Highsmith's future in the Steel City.

Steelers Are Close To Being Extremely Proud Of 2023 Draft Class

It's not often that four playmakers who all were taken in the same year get extended in one offseason. With Herbig and Washington out of the way, Benton and Porter are the final two who could be inking deals. This wouldn't just be looked at as a success, but rather, an incredible haul for Khan in his very first opportunity to run the show for the Steelers.

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