Steelers get bad news on Joey Porter Jr. before Week 1 vs. Falcons

The clock is ticking on a potential extension for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and a new report indicates a worst-case scenario is the most likely outcome.

According to 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi, Porter won’t receive a new contract by the start of Pittsburgh’s 2026 regular season. Considering that he’s in the final year of his rookie deal and that the Steelers refuse to negotiate contracts mid-season, this situation is nothing short of disastrous.

“Report: Joey Porter Jr is not expected to get a contract extension before Sunday,” Fillipponi wrote via X. “And Porter Jr is expected to only play a part-time role vs Atlanta. Asante Samuel Jr will play a lot. Per up and coming Steelers insider Nick Farabaugh. This JPJ situation is ugly.”

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Porter, who was drafted by the Steelers with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has become one of the league’s top lockdown cornerbacks over the past three years. While there’s definitely criticism stemming from penalties and a lack of interceptions, you can’t deny that Porter has found success guarding some of the greatest wide receivers opposing teams have thrown at him.

If Fillipponi’s report proves accurate and Pittsburgh doesn’t get a deal done in time, a franchise tag could be a viable option to prevent Porter from leaving after the 2026 season.

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