If the Pittsburgh Steelers truly can't figure out a way to resolve this contract situation with Joey Porter Jr., there really isn't much of a reason to keep him on the roster. Obviously, the Steelers control his future and can always place a franchise tag on him next offseason, depending on how things go over the next year, but if the plan is never to pay him, why not get the most assets for him right now?
It's tough to get a feel for whether Porter would be a major addition to another team in terms of what the Steelers would get in return, draft capital-wise, but there's reason to believe that they can at least get a second-round pick.
Bleacher Report recently proposed a deal with the New York Giants that would see them do just that, as well as a sixth-round pick.
Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 second- and sixth-round draft picks
New York Giants receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.
“The New York Giants have had a transformational offseason and seem ready to emerge as a contender again after some lean years, but their cornerback position still appears to be a bit shaky. Adding Joey Porter Jr. into the mix would massively improve the secondary and give Big Blue the elite defensive back it needs to contend with the talented NFC East wideouts it is set to come up against in 2026.
“The G-Men head into the campaign with incumbent Paulson Adebo remaining a starter on the outside. He largely failed to live up to the three-year, $54 million deal he signed last offseason, earning a paltry 58.4 grade from Pro Football Focus for his lackluster efforts,” Alex Kay wrote.
While this isn't the worst trade ever, it still makes more sense for the Steelers to just pay him. Porter is undoubtedly one of the better corners in the NFL, and unfortunately, there's a price to pay for that.
The Steelers obviously don't want to give him all the money he's seeking, but he has the chance to change games in many ways, and the Steelers just can't let that walk.
