When the Pittsburgh Steelers began the 2026 offseason, most assumed that locking up Joey Porter Jr. to a long-term contract extension was one of the top items on their to-do list. Porter was coming off an excellent 2025 season, and it seemed the Steelers had finally found a true lockdown cornerback for the first time since Ike Taylor.
But with each day that passes, a contract extension feels less likely—and a potential trade feels more and more realistic.
Porter, the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, outplayed his top-of-the-second-round billing. Now entering a contract year with just $1.443 million in guaranteed salary for the 2026 season, the young cornerback is looking to break the bank on a rich new deal.
Unfortunately, the latest buzz suggests that Porter and the Steelers aren't anywhere close on contract talks. Porter wants to be paid $30-plus million per season—in line with recent contract extensions from players like Devon Witherspoon, Denzel Ward, and Trent McDuffie. However, general manager Omar Khan and the Steelers haven't been willing to budge.
The latest comments from head coach Mike McCarthy hardly make it sound like Porter is guaranteed to play for the Steelers in 2026, and we have the right to wonder if a trade could soon be in the works.
The Pittsburgh Steelers potentially trading CB Joey Porter Jr. feels more realistic than ever
I can understand where both parties are coming from. Porter believes he's grossly outplayed his contract, and he wants long-term financial security. His agency doesn't even want him taking the field with the chance of getting injured and missing out on a massive payday.
At the same time, the Steelers saw just one elite year for Porter since being drafted in 2023, and with a new scheme and not much ball production, they are hesitant to fork up so much for a cornerback who could potentially take a step back in 2026.
Because of this, trade whispers are simply unavoidable, and we'll probably hear more about them with each day that passes in which Porter doesn't receive a new deal.
There have already been discussions circulating about what the Steelers could potentially get in a Joey Porter Jr. trade. This offseason, cornerback Trent McDuffie was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the LA Rams for a collection of draft picks, including a first-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick in 2026, as well as a third-round pick in 2027.
Last year at the NFL trade deadline, Sauce Gardner was traded from the Jets to the Colts for a pair of first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Because Porter doesn't have so much as a Pro Bowl or All-Pro honor attached to his resume, it's safe to assume that a deal involving the talented cornerback wouldn't fetch as much for the Steelers as what the Chiefs and Jets received in their CB trades. Instead, Pittsburgh could be looking at a second-round pick and maybe another mid-round pick for Porter.
Perhaps there's a team out there willing to go as high as a first-rounder, but remember: not only would a receiving team need to give up valuable draft capital for Porter, but they would also be forced to turn around and make him one of the richest cornerbacks in the league.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are hoping for a resolution soon. And for a team that has had so much trouble drafting and developing players at the cornerback positions, most fans want Porter to stay. But the longer these contract talks drag on, the more realistic a Joey Porter Jr. trade is starting to look.
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