$70 million guaranteed – that’s the estimated great divide between what cornerback Joey Porter Jr. wants and what the Pittsburgh Steelers are willing to give him. Not budging from his asking price, Joey sat out the Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons. With the Steelers’ traditional contract extension deadline already passed, the 26-year-old is now a prime trade candidate, and an NFC North team is waiting to snatch him if the opportunity presents itself.

“Asking Price is Two 1s. Lions frontrunners, Commanders after that. Vikings in the mix too, alongside another NFC East team,” NFL writer Easton Butler wrote on X.

According to a report by GeoSports founder Frank Michael Smith, the Steelers are willing to give Porter a 4-year extension, but the guaranteed money in that deal won’t cross $33 million. Porter, meanwhile, wants a deal with guarantees like Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon.

Gonzalez, the New England Patriots cornerback, signed a $135M deal with $96.3M guaranteed just ahead of the regular season kickoff. Witherspoon, meanwhile, got a $132M deal with $97.3M guaranteed from the Seattle Seahawks back in August. But it seems like the Steelers won’t go anywhere near that kind of investment for Joey Porter Jr., leaving a trade as the only way out.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has already floated the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and the San Francisco 49ers as potential destinations in a recent report. While the Cowboys, constantly in search of defensive upgrades this season, could be the NFC East team in the mix for Porter, the case for the Lions is pretty strong, too.

“The Lions were looking for corner help even before they released Terrion Arnold in June,” Fowler wrote. “Detroit can spend the early weeks of the season evaluating how D.J. Reed, Keith Abney II, Roger McCreary and others play together.

“Detroit has ample salary cap space – around $38 million as of Sunday, according to OverTheCap.com – but has committed more than $1 billion in extensions for star players, which could lead to a cap crunch very soon. Detroit also could decide to pay 2027 free agents Sam LaPorta (tight end) and Brian Branch (safety). Detroit likes man-coverage corners, and Porter definitely qualifies.”

Now, Joey Porter Jr.’s proven talent to match up against elite receivers already puts him in a very desirable trade market. In just 47 career games (41 starts), he’s logged 120 solo tackles, 3 TFLs, defended 31 passes, and sealed that stat line with 3 picks (one in each of the last three seasons). There’s a good chance that if the Steelers can’t agree to his contract terms, they could use a non-exclusive franchise tag on him twice (2027, 2028), keeping him in Pittsburgh without granting him the money he’s seeking, but there’s a big downside to that.

Keeping him locked in without a guaranteed extension will only frustrate Porter Jr. while the cornerback market continues to climb. Christian Gonzalez, with his $33.75 AAV, currently sits at the top of the market, but two years is enough to raise those prices, making it difficult for the Steelers to keep him invested long-term. What’s more, his absence from Week 1 – despite veterans like Cam Heyward telling him to show up – is a clear indication he’s not willing to play ball if the front office isn’t upping the ante.

As we wait for more details on potential trade offers and discussions to come forward, the Steelers are also prepping for their Week 2 clash with the New England Patriots. Perhaps coming face to face with Gonzalez would show the front office why locking down their star corner is necessary. If not, it’s all about what the other teams can offer Pittsburgh in return.