It took one game for the Steelers to win Joey Porter Jr. contract negotiations

The Pittsburgh Steelers will pay Joey Porter Jr. his worth, some day. That day will not come anytime soon, though, as the franchise has a rule against negotiating contract extensions during the season. Say what you will about that rule, but it has worked to their benefit in years past, helping secure contract extensions for key defensive contributors like Cameron Heyward and TJ Watt.

At the outset of the offseason, Porter Jr. seemed like an ideal candidate to be the next man up on that list. I attended the NFL Draft, where Porter Jr. spoke to some media, and he felt confident that an extension could be reached. That was April, and this is now.

While I won't lend credence to the reports Porter Jr. wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in football without many accolades to his name (All-Pros and Pro Bowls, etc.), it's clear he and the Steelers remain far apart in contract talks. Add in the impressive play from Pittsburgh's secondary in Week 1 — albeit against Falcons third-string quarterback Cooper Rush — and the Steelers have the upper hand in negotiations these days. It's why Porter Jr. would be best-served playing out the remainder of his deal, and forcing the Steelers hand with his performance.

Joey Porter Jr. will return to Steelers practice this week

Porter Jr. is expected to return to practice on Wednesday, which could be a good sign on his status for Week 2, when the Steelers travel to New England and face Drake Maye and the Patriots. As productive as the secondary core ofJamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Jaquan Brisker looked against Rush, Maye is a different animal.

JPJ was officially listed as out with a back injury last week. There's little denying that his contract status had something to do with that designation, though, as it makes little sense for the Penn State product to risk his long-term health. Porter Jr., a former second-round pick, will make just under $4 million in 2026. Where Porter Jr. was drafted has a major impact on looming talks, as unlike some of the defensive backs who signed before him, JPJ isn't getting paid like a first-round pick. That's a steep dropoff.

Still, sitting out for more than one game won't help Porter Jr.'s standing in the organization or aid his quest to receive a long-term deal, either in Pittsburgh or elsewhere. That's not a reputation Porter wants for himself, and frankly it goes against everything Steelers fans know to be true about his character.

How the Steelers secondary depth forced Joey Porter Jr.'s hand

Porter Jr. is the best cornerback on the Steelers roster. No one is debating that. Whether that means Pittsburgh should pay him like one of the top defensive backs in the NFL is a different question entirely. The Steelers built up their secondary depth in the offseason, especially at cornerback, by signing Dean and bringing back Samuel Jr. on another one-year deal. Dean was one of the top free-agent corners available, and beloved by Buccaneers fans before he left. He's a sound tackler in space and fits the Steelers scheme well.

Samuel Jr. is an elite cover corner who, at times, can struggle to tackle in the open field. Still, as a tandem, they did just enough to limit Drake London and the Falcons passing attack.

The fact that the Steelers were facing Rush is a major caveat, there is no denying it. In Week 2, Pittsburgh will face Maye, who finished second in NFL MVP voting last season and made a Super Bowl run. Maye will be without his top wide receiver, AJ Brown, which ought to help matters if Porter Jr. is unable to go.

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