The Pittsburgh Steelers have already had quite an eventful offseason. They parted ways with Mike Tomlin, hired Mike McCarthy to replace him, and spent significant draft capital rebuilding their offense.
But there's no time to rest for general manager Omar Khan. Now that the roster is put together, it's time to focus on inking contract extensions with top players.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. should be one of the top names on the list. Entering his fourth year in the NFL, he's eligible for a new deal. If the Steelers don't move quickly to reach an agreement with their star defender, his price tag could quickly get out of control.
Pittsburgh Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. contract extension is more urgent than it seems
At this point in his career, Porter Jr. is clearly the kind of player that the Steelers should want to keep around. The former second-round pick was excellent in coverage last season, allowing an opposing passer rating of just 55.9. While the cornerback position is prone to volatility, he should be a locked-in starter over the next few years.
If a continued tenure in Pittsburgh is assumed for Porter Jr., extension talks may not seem urgent. He's going to be there, so why rush to get a deal done?
For the Steelers, the reasons are clear. Every week that the team waits to extend their young defender, they risk the price moving up. Porter Jr. isn't the only cornerback set to earn a new contract in the coming months. Other members of the 2023 draft class, like Tyrique Stevenson and D.J. Turner, are eligible for extensions.
Per Spotrac, Stevenson's market value is estimated to be around $20 million per year. That's right around what our own Joshua Quiepo expects for Porter Jr.'s deal. Whichever cornerback is paid last will likely make more money. If one player signs an expensive deal, the other will expect to get the same number or more.
In the last year, cornerbacks Trent McDuffie, Sauce Gardner, and Derek Stingley Jr. have cracked the $30 million per year mark. The cornerback market is only getting more expensive each offseason.
Pittsburgh can't afford to wait around and watch the number keep going up. It would be in the best interest of the team to get a deal done quickly with Porter Jr. He's proven that he's more than worth paying, so there's no reason to delay the negotiations.
Add us as a preferred source on Google