Another pricey contract extension domino has toppled, which means the Pittsburgh Steelers' standoff with Joey Porter Jr. is now front and center.
The New England Patriots came to terms with their own standout cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, on Tuesday morning, giving him a record-setting four-year, $135 million extension that includes $102 million guaranteed. He becomes the third player at his position to reset the market this offseason, following Cleveland's Denzel Ward and Seattle's Devon Witherspoon.
Joey Porter Jr.'s deal just got more expensive for the Steelers
Meanwhile, Porter remains patient despite not having given up a touchdown receptions since his rookie season. The second-generation star made it known the morning after the Steelers' Wild Card playoff loss to Houston last year that he feels his earned a big payday, but as the team nears Week 1, the situation is still murky.
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy was asked on Monday about where the team's negotiations with Porter stand and whether or not they're still ongoing.
“It’s a business, and there’s definitely business conversations going on,” McCarthy said.
Many would assume that Porter wants paid as much as — or more than — his peers, but that might not necessarily be the case. Neither side has given too much insight on what the holdup has been. While that much is cloudy, fans can count on one thing with this saga — it will either be cleared up within the next few days, or it won't be until the team's campaign comes to a close.
What could get in the way of a Steelers extension with Joey Porter Jr.?
The Steelers historically don't discuss contracts during the season. A year ago, they restructured mainstay Cam Heyward's deal at the buzzer, the night before they kicked off, and Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan reiterated that tradition recently, which certainly puts a deadline on things.
Porter watched three of his draft classmates be showered with extensions in the offseason — Keeanu Benton, Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington — which probably makes the entire ordeal even more frustrating.
It's not a sure thing that Porter plays on Sunday when the Steelers welcome in Tua Tagovailoa and the Atlanta Falcons. He was activated off the PUP list last week after dealing with a back injury for a little over a month.
“I don’t know,” Porter said last week when asked if he would play without a contract extension. “I got to talk to the guys upstairs and my agents about that.”
The Steelers do have some insurance if Porter opts not to play, being that Asante Samuel Jr. performed well in training camp and the preseason. McCarthy's team is deep at the position, also fielding three-time Associated Press All-Pro Jalen Ramsey and free-agent addition Jamel Dean, along with rookie third-round pick Daylen Everette and nickel back Brandin Echols.
Of course, if Porter and the Steelers can't get something done before next offseason, the team can franchise tag the local product — he played his high school ball down the road at North Allegheny — a move that Over The Cap predicts will cost $23 million or so.
All eyes will be on Porter and the Steelers. Time will tell if they get something done.
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