The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a very busy offseason in building up this team for the present and the future. Among bringing in weapons to boost Pittsburgh's chances in 2026 with Aaron Rodgers' final season, they have also made a lot of noise toward the next few years of Steelers football. Part of building the future teams has been through extending their young stars. Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington have headlined that process, but now all the attention is on hometown star Joey Porter Jr.
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Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. takes the field during an NFL game in the 2023 season.
There has been plenty of speculation about how much Porter may get in his new contract and considering where he ranks among the top corners in the league, he is very deserving of a massive pay day. While these negotiations go on through July and training camp, there may be a hold-in for Porter to sign his deal.
Everyone wants a deal to be done here. He's a shutdown corner, he wants to win in Pittsburgh, and having him increases this team's chances of competing for a spot in the playoffs for years to come.
Now, they need to work out a deal early in camp so they don't have to worry about a situation involving a franchise tag down the road. That is the very last thing that this franchise wants to do with Porter. Steelers insider Christopher Carter talked about this idea in a recent chat room, and explained the current situation.
"I don't think so," Carter stated. "I don't believe Joey Porter Jr. is looking for the most money in the NFL at CB right now and they'll settle somewhere around $28M/year -- which is what you pay for shutdown cornerbacks. They can afford that and lock him up long-term. Also, if they tagged him and then he blew up for a season, he'd probably be more expensive. With his low interception numbers right now, I think Omar Khan will want to get this deal done during training camp."
Carter believes that Porter will earn around $28M a year and that the Steelers can afford that. If they fail to and end up using a franchise tag, and Porter has a career year, then he may jump into position to be the highest-paid corner in the league.
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Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. during warmups before a home game in 2025.
Pittsburgh needs to get this contract figured out before things get complicated or worse, which is Porter becoming a more expensive luxury.
"And from everything I've heard, that's the expectation of both sides," Carter added. "Been saying this for months now: wouldn't be shocked if Porter 'holds-in' for a week or so of camp, signs a big deal, then returns and it's a morale boost for the team."
The Steelers need to get a deal done. It likely won't happen for a while, which Carter described as a week or a little more of camp. The franchise tag idea is not something Pittsburgh wants. The number that Carter described at around $28M a year would do the trick and hopefully it can be a long-term deal, rather than a short-term. If he ends up developing further, he may be more expensive in a couple years.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA.
The exact financial concern that is why they can't afford a franchise tag, is why they need to get a team-friendly deal done in terms of years.
Steelers Cannot Franchise Tag Joey Porter Jr.
Porter is extremely important to this organization and getting a deal done has been a priority for a while now. It is expected to get signed at some point and it needs to happen now because if he doesn't and gets franchise tagged, then there's a chance he gets even more expensive for Pittsburgh to handle.
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