New Steelers Joey Porter Jr. Trade Price is Worrying

The Pittsburgh Steelers may ultimately consider trading Joey Porter Jr., and the return might not be as hefty as expected.

During an appearance on 102.5 WDVE's Morning Show, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac noted that Porter Jr. doesn't have much leverage in this situation. At the same time, he noted that it wouldn't come as a huge surprise if the Steelers ultimately deal away their No. 1 cornerback.

"He has no leverage in this matter. I can't tell you what they're going to do because I don't know, but I know this," Dulac said. "We've seen it in the past... If somebody comes and they're willing to give them a decent offer, it wouldn't shock me at all if they trade him.

Furthermore, Dulac stated that it may only take a third-round pick to pry Porter Jr. away from Pittsburgh, depending on the potential fallout from here on out.

"I think they could probably get a third-round pick for him," Dulac said. "I'm hesitant to call it a charade, but if the charade continues, than what's the point of even having him around?"

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) enters the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steelers Cannot Settle

The trade speculation hovering around Porter Jr. is only going to get louder for as long as there's any uncertainty surrounding his status and availability moving forward this season.

The 26-year-old was inactive in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, which only exacerbated things as he continued to fight through a back injury that popped up at the beginning of training camp.

Perhaps Porter Jr. truly is not ready to suit up after missing so much time and Pittsburgh is taking the proper precautions to ensure that he's 100 percent ready before putting him out there.

The contract situation is obviously a humongous factor, though, and there's a world in which the Steelers could be compelled to move on from him if the two sides can't come to some sort of understanding after negotiations were broken off ahead of Week 1.

The Steelers cannot give in and just accept a mediocre offer for a player of Porter Jr.'s caliber, however.

He's a rising player who played at a top-10 level at his position in 2025, and Pittsburgh has been starved of a franchise cornerback for quite some time, especially one that's homegrown.

With the franchise tag available next offseason, the Steelers still hold all of the leverage. Unless the relationship completely deteriorates and the situation becomes a significant distraction in the locker room, the organization simply cannot accept a package headlined by a third-round pick.

Week 2 Will Be Telling

Porter Jr. seems to be nearing the end of his ramp-up period and thus should be healthy enough to play against the New England Patriots in Week 2.

If that's not how things transpire and he's out despite being good to go from a health perspective, however, than the Steelers and Porter Jr. could potentially be nearing a point of no return.

Pittsburgh's defense was impressive in its Week 1 win over the Falcons, but it needs Porter Jr. to be on the field in order to reach its ceiling on that side of the ball.

There are going to be plenty of suitors out there for him if the two sides move towards parting ways, and even if it's not the right decision, the next couple of days leading up to the Patriots game might end up dictating the outcome of the entire situation.

"They're not going to sit there and tolerate or acquiesce to what he wants. If he wants out and they've had enough, than you know what? They'll get rid of him," Dulac said.

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