The Pittsburgh Steelers have reaped the benefits of Omar Khan’s first draft over the past few seasons. The team found talent all over the board. While Broderick Jones didn’t pan out and Cory Trice is no longer on the team, the rest of the class has proven to be excellent.
Now, the team is forced to pay up in order to keep that talent.
New deals have already been struck with Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington, and it feels like there could be two more deals finalized before the season starts. While Keeanu Benton is far from a lock, it feels like Joey Porter Jr. has been a safe bet to get a deal done.
However, the Steelers haven’t been as quick to sign him as some of the other names, and more than likely, this situation will drag into camp. For the Steelers, this could prove to be a costly decision.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing a dangerous game with Joey Porter Jr.
While Porter’s box score won’t impress anyone, and at times he has struggled with penalties, his game was taken to another level last year. He is playing some of his best football, and while he isn’t the best cornerback in the league, you can easily argue that he is fringe top 10 at worst.
Given his age and potential to continue to ascend, that means he should expect to receive a big deal. Pittsburgh was almost certainly aware of this, but waiting is only going to hurt them.
Pittsburgh should be running to sign Porter to a new deal. Given the track record this team has with developing cornerbacks (or lack thereof) and the importance they play in the modern NFL game, keeping a young centerpiece feels vital.
If I had to guess, money isn’t the biggest issue right now. There is a large gap between the fourth-highest-paid cornerback (Jaycee Horn at $25 million per season) and the third-highest-paid cornerback (Derek Stingley Jr. at $30 million per season). Porter feels like a logical name to slot in between.
Guarantees could be what’s holding this deal up. Pittsburgh broke tradition by adding some guaranteed money in DK Metcalf’s second year of his deal a year ago, and Porter’s camp will likely be asking for the same.
Waiting to sign him will only send his cost through the roof. Other names, such as Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez, also have their hands stretched out. They could reset the market or be close to that number. If they get signed before Porter, his price tag only goes up.
The Steelers should want Porter around, and they have the money to afford him. Waiting to finalize a deal only increases his potential cost for the team.
Add us as a preferred source on Google