Joey Porter Jr.’s latest comments about his contract come into full focus following major deal for Steelers EDGE Nick Herbig
Joey Porter Jr. is searching for a new deal from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he just told everyone why he should get one.
The Pittsburgh Steelers held day one of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and it seemed to be a resounding success. Jalen Ramsey returned, newly signed safety Darnell Savage was in attendance, and Nick Herbig ended his day with a brand new, $100 million contract extension.
The same couldn’t be said for Joey Porter Jr., who is also looking for a new deal after a stellar start to his career. Porter Jr. spoke about his future in Pittsburgh and what he wants, and he used a certain word that is synonymous with expensive in NFL circles to hint at the deal he’s looking for.
Joey Porter Jr. 2025 stats
- 47.4 completion percentage allowed when targeted.
- 57.1 opposing QBs passer rating when targeted.
- 29 total receptions allowed.
Joey Porter Jr. knows he’s elite and wants to be out there
“I wanna be out there. Everyone knows I wanna be out there and take it day by day,” Porter said on mandatory minicamp “I mean, nothing too crazy [with negotiations]. I’m happy to be out here. I’m happy I’m with the guys, learning the plays. I feel like I’ve been an elite guy since I’ve been in this league, and I’m glad that I’m getting the respect I feel like I’ve been owed.”
Now that word elite, he can elicit a lot of different feelings around the league. I’m not going to get into a Joe Flacco, first take-esque debate on the connotation of that word, but the elite corners in this league make between $24 and $31 million. Joey Porter Jr. currently makes a little over $2 million.
Will the Steelers still get a deal done with Joey Porter Jr. after the Nick Herbig extension?
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that after the Steelers signed Herbig, a Joey Porter Jr contract extension is still on the table for the Steelers, and that makes a ton of sense.
Herbig’s extension doesn’t kick in until 2027. The quarterback position is dedicating over $20 million to Aaron Rodgers in 2026, but that number will be drastically smaller as the Steelers look to start a quarterback on a rookie deal next year, whether it’s Will Howard, Drew Allar, or a 2027 draft pick.
A cap expert like Omar Khan can parse through the rest of the details, but Joey Porter Jr. has quickly become one of the best corners in the league, and he deserves to be paid accordingly.