Two Names Change Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. Negotiations
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are a few weeks out from training camp, but one crucial piece of business remains unresolved. Star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has not agreed to a contract extension yet, and the entire fanbase is growing with concern.
Everyone has their own reasons and hypotheses for why Porter Jr. still hasn't inked a new deal with the Steelers. A recent theory, floated by Joe Clark of Steelers Depot, caught my attention. He pointed out that two other members of Porter Jr.'s draft class, Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots star Christian Gonzales, also remain unsigned entering the potential final year of their rookie deals.
Those players also each had their fifth-year options picked up by their franchises, something the Steelers do not have the luxury of doing with Porter Jr. Even if they did, it wouldn't matter because Porter Jr. should have one goal in these negotiations: resetting the guaranteed money market for cornerbacks.
Why Guaranteed Money Should Be Important to Porter Jr.
Guaranteed money is what talks in the NFL. The contracts catch headlines for huge total amounts, but the players and their agents know one thing to be true: guaranteed money is what you're fighting for on your contract.
Porter Jr. and company know that. Entering his fourth NFL campaign, he's been excellent even without earning the individual or team accolades that both Gonzales and Witherspoon have earned. Despite that, he holds a distinction for not allowing a single touchdown in coverage since his rookie season.
There's a great chance the next four seasons will be the best of his career. If the accolades come, then the guaranteed money will be an underpayment for what he produces on the field.
And if he doesn't produce accordingly, he still has security. The Steelers could restructure his deal down the line, trade him or cut ties entirely, but he'd still have collected that guaranteed money from the franchise.
An Interesting Connection Between Top 2023 Corners
While I believe Porter Jr. is looking to reset the market on his own, there is another interesting connection between the top cornerbacks from the 2023 NFL Draft class. Not only were all three selected in the same draft, but they are now all represented by the same firm.
Porter Jr.'s agent, Andre Odom, recently departed his former agency to join WIN Sports Group. That just so happens to be the same firm that represents both Gonzales and Witherspoon.
So, maybe the three negotiations are more linked than many believe.
What Kind of Guaranteed Money Should Porter Jr. Get?
The benchmark is $50 million. That's the amount of guaranteed money Trent McDuffie received when he signed his mega-deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
Porter Jr. should look to The Price is Right McDuffie's deal. Even if he beats that amount by a single dollar, he'd reset the market and "win" the negotiations.
Could he seek even more? If the Steelers sign him to a deal worth a total of $100 million, for example, could he command $60 million guaranteed?
That should be the goal for Porter Jr. and that's likely what his camp is seeking.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/steelers/onsi as Two Names Change Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. Negotiations .
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This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 5:00 AM.