The Pittsburgh Steelers and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. have not come close to a contract extension, and a trade remains a theoretical possibility if another team makes an offer large enough to force the franchise to reconsider.
NFL insider Adam Schefter shared a new report on the situation on Thursday.
“The Steelers and Joey Porter Jr have never gotten close to a deal. Could the Steelers get an offer that would be enough to make them think about trading Joey Porter Jr,” Schefter said on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Porter, 26, is entering the final season of the four-year, $9.62 million rookie contract he signed after Pittsburgh selected him 32nd overall in the 2023 draft. His 2026 salary-cap charge is about $4.92 million, a bargain relative to the exploding market at his position.
The former Penn State standout has spent training camp on the physically unable to perform list with a back injury. Schefter noted that back problems are often confused with contract disputes. Coach Mike McCarthy said this week the two sides are at an impasse.
“We’re at an impasse right here, and you’ve got to respect that,” McCarthy said. “Every one of us has a contract. The organization, they have beliefs and so forth. That’s just kind of where we are.”
Porter held in during organized team activities and minicamp, attending meetings while sitting out most on-field work. He reported to camp but was placed on the PUP list shortly after general manager Omar Khan indicated he would not start there.
On the field, Porter has developed into a full-time starter and frequent shadow corner. In 47 regular-season games, including 41 starts, he has 165 tackles, 31 passes defensed and three interceptions. He recorded a career-high 14 passes defensed in 14 games last season.
He has not allowed a touchdown in coverage since Week 8 of the 2023 season, a streak of more than 1,000 snaps that is the longest active run in the league. Penalties, a problem early in his career, dropped from 17 flags in 2024 to nine in 2025.
The Steelers have already extended three other members of that 2023 draft class: outside linebacker Nick Herbig (four years, $100 million), defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (four years, $72 million) and tight end Darnell Washington (four years, $42 million). Porter is the remaining high-profile piece.
Cornerback money has soared this offseason. Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon signed a four-year, $132 million extension that averages $33 million per year. Trent McDuffie, Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. all sit at or above $30 million annually. Earlier projections placed Porter in a $22 million to $28 million range.
Veteran teammate Jalen Ramsey has publicly urged the team to pay Porter.
“They’ve got to pay Joey Porter,” Ramsey said. “Joey needs to get compensated for being a valuable part of this secondary and a valuable part of this defense and team.”
Trade speculation intensified last week after reports that multiple clubs had inquired about Porter’s availability. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly later said Pittsburgh had received no formal calls and had “zero interest” unless a team offered something extraordinary, such as two first-round picks.
Schefter questioned whether any club would both surrender that kind of draft capital and then pay Porter at the current market rate this late in the offseason. Initial 53-man rosters are due Sunday. Pittsburgh opens the regular season Sept. 13 at home against Atlanta.
The Steelers historically stop negotiating once the regular season begins. They also retain leverage: Porter remains under contract for 2026, and the team can use the franchise tag in 2027 if no long-term deal is reached. The projected tag value has been cited near $23 million.
Porter is the son of former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, a franchise icon. The younger Porter has said he views himself as an elite corner and wants to be paid accordingly.
Whether that happens in Pittsburgh, or elsewhere after a surprising trade, remains unresolved with two weeks until kickoff.
