Steelers weren’t willing to give Joey Porter more guaranteed money, per report

The Pittsburgh Steelers and their standoff with cornerback Joey Porter Jr have been one of the biggest stories at the start of the NFL season.

Porter did not partake at all in training camp, being placed on the PUP list with a back injury. Though as more time goes by, it’s clear that was a front to avoid the optics of a hold-in. Porter began practicing ahead of the team’s Week 1 game with the Atlanta Falcons, but did not play in Pittsburgh’s 20-13 win. On Wednesday’s injury report, Porter was listed as limited, but not with any injury designation. Rather he was listed as conditioning. On Thursday, however, he left early in practice with the medical staff and his back injury was then added to the injury report on Thursday.

As the Steelers get closer to Sunday, it looks less and less likely that Porter will suit up in Week 2, and maybe ever again in a Steelers uniform. According to a report from Jeremy Fowler and Brooke Pryor of ESPN, the biggest cause of this divide and a deal not getting done was the structure of the contract.

“The two sides have been here because of a significant difference between the Steelers’ view of Porter’s value and how Porter values himself,” the report reads. “The core issue is the structure of the contract, sources told ESPN, and the Steelers’ organizational precedent that doesn’t fully guarantee a healthy portion of the contract was considered a sizable hurdle.”

Specifically, Pryor and Fowler report that Porter wanted more guaranteed money past the first year of his extension.

“Many of the Steelers past deals for key players fully guarantee only the first year,” the report states. “That was the case for Porter’s draft mates, Keeanu Benton, Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig, whose four-year extensions this summer guaranteed 2027 for injury only. Porter wants stronger guarantees, sources said. Pittsburgh has broken precedent in the past. For example, Pittsburgh guaranteed $108 million for T.J. Watt in the summer of 2025. While Porter doesn’t have the megastar cachet of Watt, he’s still a high-level cover corner.”

Should Porter not suit up on Sunday, a trade seems to be the most likely outcome of this entire saga, should Pittsburgh receive an offer they deem acceptable.

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