Last week was a busy and expensive one for Steelers general manager Omar Khan, as he handed out extensions to two members of the 2023 draft class in Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington. Herbig landed a four-year, $100 million deal with $42 million guaranteed, while Washington received a four-year, $42 million contract with $21 million guaranteed.
The next names up from that draft class are Keeanu Benton and Joey Porter Jr. Recent reports suggest the Steelers and Benton are already working toward a new deal, making him likely the next player in line for a payday.
That could leave Porter as one of the final major extension decisions on the table and potentially one that drags deep into training camp if both sides remain far apart on the numbers.
After seeing the kind of money already handed out, it is fair to assume Porter will want to be paid among the top cornerbacks in the NFL. He will get paid, but probably not at the number he may believe he deserves right now. While Porter has shown flashes of becoming a true CB1, he has not quite earned top-of-the-market cornerback money just yet.
So what could a realistic contract extension for Joey Porter Jr. actually look like? Here is a deal that could make sense for both sides.
Projecting a contract extension for Pittsburgh Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.
Projection: 4-year, $110 million deal
The top of the cornerback market in the NFL has steadily climbed over the past few years, and for a player like Joey Porter Jr., it creates an interesting negotiation point. He is a talented young corner, but he is not yet a top-five player at his position, even if he may view himself that way.
From the team’s perspective, the goal has to be to stay realistic about the extension and avoid a premature deal that would reset the market for a player who has not yet fully reached that tier.
At the top of the market, elite cornerbacks are now earning around $30 million per year. Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. are both in that range, setting the standard for the position. Just below them, Patrick Surtain II, widely viewed as the best cornerback in the NFL, is earning about 24 million dollars per year, while Jaycee Horn is around $25 million per year.
These deals reflect how quickly the position is evolving, especially as the salary cap continues to rise and new contracts consistently push the ceiling higher.
Because of that constant market growth, negotiations between the Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. could take time. The structure and timing of extensions are becoming more complex, and teams have to be careful not to overcommit too early in a player’s development.
A fair range for Porter could be closer to a deal similar to what Nick Herbig received, but potentially higher and with more guaranteed money than his $42 million. That type of structure would still reward Porter’s production and upside while keeping him just below the elite tier at the position.
Given the recent extensions the Steelers have already handed out, it is clear they are willing to take care of their young core. The expectation is that Porter will ultimately be paid well. However, the front office still has to balance that with a realistic assessment of where he currently stands, ensuring they do not pay elite money before he has fully earned elite status.
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