Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. finds himself at the center of swirling contract and trade speculation as the 2026 NFL season approaches, with one franchise legend offering blunt advice on how to handle the situation.
James Harrison, the former Steelers linebacker known for his hard-nosed play, spoke recently on the Deebo & Joe podcast and made clear what he would do in Porter’s shoes amid the ongoing negotiations.
“Right now, if I’m him, there ain’t no way on God’s green earth you’re gonna get me to practice one snap, let alone play in a game before you give me a long-term contract,” Harrison said.
“I’m not gonna go out there and take a chance popping something, tearing something, all that. Because if I do, you’re sure ain’t going to give a man a contract then.”
Porter, selected in the second round of the 2023 draft out of Penn State, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the beginning of training camp while dealing with a back injury and has yet to practice with the team this summer.
The timing of the holdup comes as the market for top cornerbacks continues to rise sharply. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, also a 2023 first-round pick, recently agreed to a four-year extension worth $132 million that carries an average annual value of $33 million and sets a new high-water mark at the position.
Other recent deals have further inflated expectations. Players such as Trent McDuffie, Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. have signed extensions in the range of $30 million or more per year, leaving the Steelers to navigate a significantly more expensive landscape than when Porter first entered the league.
Porter has steadily developed into a key piece of Pittsburgh’s secondary. In 2025 he appeared in 14 games and recorded 51 total tackles, 14 passes defensed and one interception. Across his first three seasons he has totaled 157 tackles, 31 passes defensed and three interceptions while starting the majority of the team’s games.
Insiders have floated various projections for a possible extension. One common estimate places a four-year deal in the neighborhood of $112 million, which would carry an average annual value around $28 million and rank among the top contracts at the position. Earlier reports suggested a gap between the sides, with the team potentially valuing Porter closer to the low-to-mid $20 million range while the player’s camp eyed numbers nearer the top of the market.
Harrison’s comments arrive as trade rumors have also circulated, adding another layer of uncertainty for a defense that relies heavily on its young corner. The Steelers have already secured long-term deals with several other members of the 2023 draft class, including linebacker Nick Herbig and defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, making Porter’s unresolved status stand out.
General manager Omar Khan has indicated the organization prefers to complete contract work before the regular season begins, after which the focus shifts fully to on-field matters. With the preseason underway and the regular season less than a month away, the window for an agreement is narrowing.
Porter’s absence from the practice field has only heightened attention on the negotiations. While the PUP designation stems from the reported back issue, the combination of injury, market movement and public comments from a respected former player has created a tense backdrop.
Steelers fans and team officials alike are watching closely. Securing Porter long term would provide continuity in the secondary and quiet the trade chatter, but the price of doing so continues to climb with every new deal signed around the league. Failing to reach an agreement risks leaving one of the defense’s most important young players without a future commitment beyond this season.
Whether Porter heeds Harrison’s advice or the two sides find common ground in the coming weeks remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the cornerback market shows no signs of cooling, and Pittsburgh faces a significant decision with lasting implications for its roster.
