Steelers Next Star Entering Elite and Expensive Level

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. are working towards a contract extension. That much is obvious as the offseason continues, but where things currently stand is a mystery.

On one hand, the Steelers have made it very clear that they are willing to spend on their own players. With deals already done for linebacker Nick Herbig, tight end Darnell Washington and kicker Chris Boswell this summer, the organization has demonstrated no issue negotiating deals.

On the other hand, the organization's run of deals has come to a screeching halt. That might be because there is no more flexibility in the salary cap to sign another mega-deal, or it could be because the asking price from Porter Jr.'s camp is for top cornerback money. That begs the question: is Porter Jr. one of the five or ten best cornerbacks in the NFL, and what does that mean for these negotiations?

Where Does Porter Jr. Rank?

If you ask the fourth-year cornerback, he's the crown jewel of defenders in the NFL. Joey Porter Jr. has brought an elite confidence since the moment he was drafted by the Steelers, and in his third NFL campaign, it finally came together.

But just how elite is Porter Jr. compared to his contemporaries?

The initial numbers are impressive. He successfully defended 13 passes, allowing an average of 10.4 yards per completion in coverage and holding opposing quarterbacks to less than a 48% completion percentage when targeting him. That was a better mark than Indianapolis Colts superstar Sauce Gardner, who surrendered a 48.6% completion percentage, and Houston Texans leader Derek Stingley Jr.'s 52.9% completion percentage.

The biggest and most important figure from the 2025 campaign is zero, the number of touchdowns he allowed.

A further dive into his 2025 statistics only underscores Porter Jr.'s rise. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the 13th-best coverage cornerback in 2025. He earned a 76.6 coverage grade and an overall defensive grade of 70.1. But another statistic from PFF paints a very clear picture.

That statistic is yards allowed per coverage target. His 4.8 yards allowed trailed only former teammate James Pierre and New England Patriots superstar Christian Gonzalez in 2025, as both Pierre and Gonzalez posted an average of 4.7 yards.

While there may be some debate about who the best cornerback in the NFL is, the numbers suggest Porter Jr. is at least in the conversation. That means he's a top-10 player at his position to start, and ranking him in the top-5 is finally deserved.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. leaves the field following an AFC Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

What Does That Mean for Porter Jr.'s Next Contract?

The numbers show a player who has become one of the most dominant coverage cornerbacks in the NFL. He doesn't allow touchdowns, limits big plays, and isolates whatever receiver he covers, making him a non-factor.

The only thing Porter Jr. doesn't do with regularity is create turnovers, recording just one interception in both the 2024 and 2025 campaigns.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, that doesn't negate his impact on the field. He's an elite cornerback and is just entering his physical prime. The player that Porter Jr. will be over the course of this deal is perhaps more expensive than the Steelers want to admit, but the reality is that they have to pay him.

That could be a deal worth an average value of $25 million or higher, and it might just mean guaranteeing more money than we're used to seeing the Steelers give. But that's the price of business for having a top-5 cornerback in the NFL.

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