Steelers cornerback will salivate over Pat Surtain II market-resetting contract

It happened again; another money-five position in the NFL just saw a market reset. This time it was the cornerback position with outstanding young talent, Pat Surtain II. The 9th overall pick by the Broncos in the 2021 NFL Draft just inked a lucrative deal that will keep him in Denver for the foreseeable future.

Surtain's four-year contract extension was worth a whopping $96 million and includes $77 million in guarantees. This gives him an average annual earnings of $24 million per season.

Surtain's value to the Broncos stretches far beyond raw numbers on the football field. After recording six interceptions over his first two seasons, Surtain collected one pick in 17 games last season. This is largely because quarterbacks refuse to look his way.

As a two-time Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro cornerback in 2022, we knew that Surtain was a player capable of resetting the cornerback market in the NFL. His new money average of $24 million per season leaps ahead of Jaire Alexander, who previously led the league at $21 million per year.

Now a cornerback on the Steelers' roster could be salivating about the bag of cash he could earn in the near future.

Joey Porter Jr. could break the bank for the Steelers

Joey Porter Jr. is only entering his second season in the NFL, so there's no reason for Pittsburgh to be hasty when it comes to an extension. In fact, they couldn't extend him now even if they wanted to, as Porter needs to accrue three seasons first.

When the time comes to pay Porter, the talented cornerback could be earning a massive contract of his own. Porter has just one season under his belt, but the results were better than anyone could have predicted for the 2023 second-round pick.

According to Pro Football Focus, Porter played 501 snaps in coverage as a rookie and allowed just one touchdown. This led to him allowing a passer rating of just 65.9 during the 2023 season.

Porter isn't known for his ball skills, but his incredible frame gives him the upside to be one of the true lockdown cornerbacks in the NFL. At 6'2 1/2'' and 193 pounds with 34'' arms and 10'' hands, Porter can disrupt passing lanes with the best cornerbacks in the league.

The young CB needs to clean up his grabbiness, but he's fully expected to earn a massive second contract. Now that the market has been reset by Pat Surtain II, the value of cornerbacks around the NFL is only going to continue to rise -- especially for those who profile as a true CB1 (like Porter).

Up next could be a player like Sauce Gardner next offseason. His contract extension could vault the cornerback position to new heights.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have two years before they need to worry about an extension for Joey Porter Jr., but at this rate, the talented cornerback has a chance to earn a lucrative second contract in a market that has been reset.