The Pittsburgh Steelers are about to have all of their focus on the NFL's legal tampering period, which has essentially become the official start of free agency. Despite needing to work on finding new additions to help improve the roster, general manager Omar Khan's attention may also be on one of his homegrown stars.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is coming off his best season as a pro in 2025, and he will likely command a sizable contract as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract. The actual size of that deal is hard to predict, but the price likely just went up after Sunday's news regarding Trent McDuffie.
The former Kansas City Chiefs CB signed a record-setting contract with his new team, with the Los Angeles Rams handing him a four-year, $124 million deal with $100 million of it guaranteed.
ESPN sources: Rams and Trent McDuffie reached agreement today on a record four-year, $124 million extension that includes $100 million guaranteed and makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. McDuffie gets a trade and a new deal days apart as the Rams and CAA Football… pic.twitter.com/53cisV7oG8
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2026
Trent McDuffie's extension with the Rams may have just made the Pittsburgh Steelers price for Joey Porter Jr. rise
Comparing McDuffie and Porter isn't exactly a one-to-one comparison, both in accolades and play style. A large part of McDuffie's value comes from his versatility and willingness to play the run from any alignment. Porter, meanwhile, has played almost exclusively boundary corner since joining the Steelers out of Penn State back in 2023.
With defenses becoming more and more focused on finding players who can play multiple roles, paying top dollar for a player like McDuffie is an easy sell. It helps that he has already earned a first and second-team All Pro nod in just four years in the league.
Porter doesn't have the versatility or awards that McDuffie has, but you could make a solid argument that he was one of the best pure outside corners in the NFL a year ago. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed a completion percentage of just 47.8% when targeted last season, and he was tied for fourth in passes defended despite missing three full games and parts of several others.
His length and above-average athleticism makes it difficult for receivers to separate from him, especially down the field. He is much more comparable to a player like Sauce Gardner than McDuffie, but he hasn't shown the same level of consistency that Gardner has so far.
Still, I would be surprised if Porter was willing to sign for anything less than $25 million annually, if not more, depending on whether any other corners get extended before him. It would be a steep price to pay, but with several aging veterans headed out the door soon, the Steelers cannot afford to lose a player of Porter's caliber.