The Pittsburgh Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. didn't iron out a new deal before Sunday's matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, meaning the young cornerback is going to have to wait until the offseason before talks resume.
Porter, who's been dealing with a back issue, was inactive for the season opener, leaving fellow second-generation coverman Asante Samuel Jr. to make the start for the Steelers. It's safe to say Porter isn't thrilled with the fact that he'll have to go through his fourth NFL season without any long-term security. Porter hasn't allowed a touchdown pass since his rookie go-round.
The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, restructured the contracts of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, creating $35.6 million in cap space, per Spotrac. Does that move open up the possibility for Dan Campbell's team to swap for Porter?
What would it take for Lions to acquire Joey Porter Jr.?
The Steelers almost certainly wouldn't part with Porter for anything less than at least a first-round draft pick, which makes it even more curious that they haven't figured something out with him yet.
If it could get that premium selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh probably wouldn't mind tossing in a fifth-round choice, being that they have two, one of them coming from shipping receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May 2025.
A fifth-rounder in 2028 would also go to the Steelers.
The Lions could stick Porter into their depth chart right away, taking the sting away from the Terrion Arnold situation. With the newfound money freed up, Detroit could also give him what he wants and set themselves up with a key piece in their secondary for seasons to come.
It's not like Porter's asking price is astronomical, either.
Why the Lions could afford a Joey Porter Jr. extension
Porter Jr. threw cold water on any reports that he wants to become the NFL's highest paid player at his position on Friday, after watching Seattle's Devon Witherspoon and New England's Christian Gonzalez both reset the market leading up to this season.
Cam Heyward, a respected voice in the Steelers' locker room, said last week that Porter's teammates understand the business aspect of things. The Steelers awarded outside linebacker Nick Herbig, tight end Darnell Washington and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton with contract extensions this offseason.
“As much as a player could say there’s a strain, we have so many good leaders that keep the group together, and we stay focused at the task at hand,” Heyward said. “We truly want everybody to just be able to maximize what they can do and their potential. We understand this game isn’t for long, and every player has to do that. … If you didn’t, shame on you. You’d be not taking advantage of an opportunity you can.
“I wish we’d get done earlier. I wish everything was done in February if we could.”
The situation probably didn't have to get to this point. It will be interesting to see if Porter remains in black and gold for long.
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