Steelers' Joey Porter Jr Extension May Be More Complicated With A New Coaching Regime

The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2023 draft class has arguably been the franchise's best in the last decade. The organization made plenty of great selections in the later rounds, but their best pick was likely at 32nd overall when they snagged Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Due to illegal tampering, the Miami Dolphins were forced to forfeit their 2023 first-round pick, meaning only 31 names would be called on night one of the 2023 NFL Draft instead of the usual 32. Even though Porter was selected with a usual first-round number, he is still considered a second-round pick, meaning no fifth-year option in his first contract. 

Porter has become one of the best shutdown cornerbacks in the NFL. He is excellent in man coverage and a very underrated tackler. The former Nittany Lion has yet to make a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection, primarily due to the great cast of cornerbacks in the AFC overall. Even without the individual accolades, he is still among the top cornerbacks, and he wants to be paid like one. Unfortunately for the cornerback, the organization is seemingly not prepared to pay him top-five money -- meaning a hold-in is likely to occur during training camp. 

A big part of getting Porter to Pittsburgh was his father, Joey Porter Sr.'s, relationship with former head coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin and Porter Sr. became good friends after a rocky start to their relationship. Drafting Porter Jr. was like a match made in heaven. He was a high-potential prospect, and his father is a legend to the franchise. Now that the Steelers are in negotiations with Porter Jr., one NFL insider believes that, with Tomlin gone, an extension has become all the more complicated. 

NBC's Mike Florio recently appeared on an episode of his show, Pro Football Talk, where he discussed the Porter Jr. dilemma. Florio noted that the coaching change in Pittsburgh could be a huge factor in negotiations. He even suggested that if Tomlin were still the leader, the deal may already be done. 

"It sounds like Porter and the Steelers are very far apart, and look, they've had a coaching change. Mike Tomlin and Joey Porter Sr. were very close. If Tomlin's still there, is there a chance this thing gets worked out? Is there a chance that maybe he helps bridge the gap?" Florio questioned. "He can talk to Porter, he can talk to the team, he can broker a deal. Without Tomlin there, I think that's a lot harder to accomplish." 

The Steelers had a similar situation in 2024 when TJ Watt needed an extension, and the team tried to play hardball. Watt eventually signed his new deal in late July, but he was a Defensive Player of the Year winner, a multiple-time Pro Bowler, and a four-time All-Pro. He had already earned the full trust of that coaching staff. Porter Jr. is playing under completely new management. 

Extensions are always tough when a coaching change happens, but with Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig getting massive paydays recently, what is the holdup with Porter Jr? He may not have any individual accolades, but he has proven to be a shutdown corner as mentioned, one who hasn't allowed a touchdown since his rookie season. 

Steelers Need To Get This Deal Done

One of the hardest positions to play in the NFL is cornerback, and as a result, elite ones are hard to come by. The Steelers have an All-Pro-caliber cornerback in their lap, but don't want to pay him like one. If they want to be serious about their future, they need to get this deal inked sooner rather than later, especially with other top cornerbacks still waiting for contracts. 

With players like Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez awaiting new deals, it would be wise to pay Porter now rather than wait until he's more expensive. Cornerback is a premier position in the NFL, and to let one slip away in the prime of their career would be a crime by the organization. 

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