In the words of head coach Mike McCarthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers have hit an impasse with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The fourth-year CB and 2023 second-round pick has staged a hold-in all offseason and has yet to gear up for team activity as he awaits a new deal.
The Steelers reportedly have not yet offered Porter a contract, and some have painted them as the bad guys in this situation (like fellow cornerback Jalen Ramsey). This situation feels dangerously close to falling apart.
But now we know why.
The latest report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport suggests that Porter will be the league's highest-paid cornerback when he gets his new deal—whether that's with the Steelers or some other team. Raporot also hints that a trade is hardly out of the question.
"The reason they're at an impasse, or whatever you would call it, is because it's pretty clear that, when Joey Porter [Jr.] gets a new contract, he's going to be the highest-paid corner in the NFL. The Steelers, if they are not willing to make him the highest-paid corner, probably have an offer for that reason...
He's a big name; there have been rumors. There have been trade chatter around the NFL, surrounding Joey Porter—teams wondering: is he available? And look, we do see guys from time to time like this traded right before the season... These kinds of players generally get traded for first-round picks or premium draft picks..."
Ian Rapoport hints at just two options for the Pittsburgh Steelers to end the Joey Porter Jr drama
If what Rapoport says is true, there are only two ways to end the Joey Porter Jr. drama before the season. Because, as Rapoport noted, the Steelers do not negotiate contracts during the season.
"The Steelers do not do contracts during the season. That has been their historic stance, and I expect that to continue."
Because of this, general manager Omar Khan and the team are down to just two options—and both come at a cost. Either they fork up the league's biggest contract at the cornerback position, or they send Porter packing in exchange for draft picks.
Most fans want Porter to be paid. After hitting on the pick, fans want the team to reward Porter with a rich new deal. But I understand the hesitancy from the Steelers. Porter has just one elite year of play out of three seasons, and he doesn't have so much as a Pro Bowl or All-Pro accolade under his belt to date.
Porter has also been one of the most penalized defensive backs in the NFL over the past three seasons, and we know that he doesn't really have ball skills on his side. Thus, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league—over players like Devon Witherspoon and Trent McDuffie—feels like risky business... and it's no doubt why Khan is so hesitant.
At the same time, trading Porter isn't ideal for a team looking to capitalize on a fleeting window with aging stars. The Steelers are looking to make a run this year and avoid a 10-year drought without a playoff win. While the draft compensation would be nice, losing Porter would run counter to the plan of competing now.
Either way, the Steelers are in a major dilemma with Porter, and they will have to choose between overpaying their top cornerback or sending him packing in a trade.
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