Steelers' Joey Porter Jr Has Price Tag For New Extension Revealed

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, but once that's done, General Manager Omar Khan will have one more thing to focus on before training camp begins: extensions. There are a couple of players who will be looking for new deals to keep them in Pittsburgh beyond 2026. One of them is a very obvious young star, as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He will likely be demanding a large salary to make the team prove that they respect and believe in him. 

While making a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan, insider Mark Kaboly spoke about Porter's possible extension and revealed what it would cost for the Steelers to keep him around for the long-term future.

"I would assume that [Joey Porter Jr.]'s a good $23-$25 [million] a year," Kaboly said.

Based on how Porter sees himself, he would be a lot more likely to accept $25 million per year than settle for $23 million. With the larger number, he would be tied for the fourth-largest contract by average annual term (AAV) for cornerbacks, and he definitely sees himself as a top-5 player at his position at the very least, and likely much higher than that. It's unlikely he would settle for having the seventh-best AAV. 

Meanwhile, all of the top three cornerbacks by AAV are making at least $30 million per year. It would not be the least bit shocking to see Porter and his agent set his initial asking price that high. An extension of this magnitude could end up leading to a holdout into the offseason as he fights to take every penny he can. They have a few months to hash this out and come to a common ground. These negotiations however, could get interesting quick. 

In 14 games in 2025, Porter only allowed 32 receptions for 333 yards, and he also had a career-high 14 passes defended. He has only given up one touchdown in his career, and that was on a miscommunication in his rookie year. Over the course of his career, a large chunk of his yards allowed came while he was playing in soft zone, which is the exact opposite of the style of play that he thrives in. 

When Porter is in press coverage, he is borderline unbeatable. A majority of those great numbers came while he was lining up against a team's top receiver. He may not be consistent a splash-play guy, but the fact that he can take away nearly any wideout without safety help is truly phenomenal. There are so few defensive backs like him in the NFL, so keeping him happy should be priority #1 for Khan once the draft is concluded.

Steelers Don't Have To Worry About Porter's Big Concern Anymore

In previous years, Porter was seen as a penalty magnet that somewhat offset his amazing ability. In 2025, however, he only had six penalties accepted against him for a total of 56 yards. That is significantly less than Patrick Surtain II, who is widely considered to be the best cornerback in the NFL. It's about time that fans and pundits bury that narrative six feet under: the Steelers' star corner does not have a penalty problem. 

Porter presses at the line of scrimmage and bumps the receiver off his route, then he stays in his hip pocket and keeps his man from getting open. His grabby nature forces the receiver to get into a hand fight with him in an attempt to break free. The official sees both players grabbing and pushing each other, so he keeps the flag in his pocket instead of calling offsetting penalties. Porter must continue to improve on this style of play to finally get the league-wide recognition he deserves. 

What do you think about Porter's supposed price tag? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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