Steelers Could Trade Joey Porter Jr.

Speculation surrounding the viability of a Joey Porter Jr. trade got louder once he was ruled inactive for the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opening win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.

Porter Jr. is still nursing a back injury that initially landed him on the PUP list at the start of training camp and rendered him a limited participant in practice throughout last week, though the lack of an extension remains the bigger storyline.

ESPN's Adam Schefter addressed the topic as a whole during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show", stating that the Steelers and Porter Jr. haven't closed the gap in talks while also mentioning there's been little to no movement on the trade market in any way, shape or form thus far.

"It leaves the two sides in a difficult spot where they're trying to find a common ground and haven't come close to doing it yet, and he's not playing.

"And so, the Steelers have been open to listening to offers. So far, for what they would want back, there's not been a lot of trade interest. I don't know what would spur that right now."

"I think a lot of people were surprised that Joey Porter Jr didn't play yesterday..

The two sides are in a difficult spot where they're trying to find a common ground and they haven't come close to doing it yet..

The Steelers have been open to listening to trade offers..

So… pic.twitter.com/H2RR1H0p3j
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 14, 2026

Trading Porter Jr. Would Be a Mistake

With the regular season having officially begun, and Pittsburgh not being willing to discuss contracts in-season, the hopes of Porter Jr. inking a new deal with the organization have been dashed for the time being.

Negotiations could still very well pick up next offseason, though, and there's no reason they won't assuming Porter Jr. ends up playing throughout the campaign once he's done with his ramp-up period.

While it's certainly frustrating how things have played out with the Steelers' No. 1 corner up to this point, Porter Jr. is still one of the most impactful players on a defensive unit that is talented at just about every level.

Sure, maybe there's some slight reservations about how he'll adapt to playing more zone coverage in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's system.

Porter Jr. is talented enough to believe he'll settle in and remain a top-flight cornerback, however, and parting ways with a homegrown franchise option at the position when such a player has eluded Pittsburgh for quite some time would be dumbfounding.

Unless the Steelers receive a Godfather-esque trade offer that's akin to the package the New York Jets got from the Indianapolis Colts for Sauce Gardner last year, which consisted of two first-round picks and Adonai Mitchell, they should not consider dealing Porter Jr. away.

Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) pass rushes at the line of scrimmage against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Kicking the Can Down the Road Might Be Smart for Steelers

Though Porter Jr. confirmed late last week that he was not seeking to become the highest-paid corner, the Steelers may still feel uncomfortable handing him a sizable new contract given there's a new coaching staff in town alongside the fact that the organization could want him to keep building on his breakout 2025 campaign after a so-so first two years in the league.

It's incredibly hard to imagine Porter Jr. will hold out once he's fully back up to speed, and it appears as though he's making progress towards returning to game action for Pittsburgh.

With the franchise tag in their back pocket and another season under Porter Jr.'s belt, the Steelers will have far more information to make an informed decision on the 26-year-old's future with the team once next offseason arrives.

Again, having this situation loom over everyone's heads isn't ideal, but from a logistical standpoint, Pittsburgh feels like it could end up benefiting from waiting it out and revisiting the circumstances once the current campaign concludes.

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