The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off their 2026 regular season with a 20-13 win against the Atlanta Falcons. But their star cornerback, Joey Porter Jr., did not play in the season opener due to a back injury amid reports that his future with the team may be coming to an end.
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Porter is on a four-year, $9.61 million rookie deal that runs through the 2026 season. According to reports, the CB could be traded after contract talks broke down before Week 1, as the team’s initial offer fell far short of his asking price. And a two-time Super Bowl champion, James “Deebo” Harrison, criticized the team’s approach, stating that starting negotiations so late was a mistake.
“You did not start negotiations until a couple of weeks ago. That’s a bad starting point when you want to get something done beforehand. Then, as he said, it was a lowball offer, and then the next one it was supposed to be a structure issue that went on and so forth,” James Harrison said on the Deebo & Joe podcast. “But when you actually look at it, you say, ‘Okay, the rumor is like it’s a structure issue.’”
Ahead of this season, the Steelers gave contract extensions to tight end Darnell Washington ($42 million), linebacker Nick Herbig ($100 million), and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton ($72 million). All three players are from the same draft class (2023 NFL Draft) as Porter. Surprisingly, despite being the highest draft pick among them, Porter is the only one who has yet to receive a respectable offer.
“The Steelers and quarterback Joey Porter Jr. are not in a good place. And we saw that on Sunday. He did not play. They called it a back issue,” NFL insider Ari Meirov said. “You could have seen this happening from 100 miles away…Two weeks before the season started, the Steelers decided to get serious. And the first offer, from my understanding, was an insulting offer.”
According to reports, the Steelers came up with their first offer just before Week 1, and it was $25 million per year. However, right now the CB market has six players earning $30 million, per ESPN. Still, this tough-minded approach is nothing new for an organization well-known for its negotiating history.
“The Steelers in their history, they only give up normally the first year guaranteed, maybe two. So with Joey Porter, his number, if you go to the open market, it’s going to be right around that number you’re looking for,” co-host Joe Haden said on the same podcast. “Around $90 million guaranteed depending on the length of the contract. But with the Steelers, that’s not something that they’re looking to do.”
Porter has been ready for a trade, and the Steelers are reportedly looking for the best options available. The team is said to be holding out for an aggressive return, asking for first-round picks. For now, Porter remains inactive on the roster with a contract dispute.