Steelers Star CB Holding In at Minicamp

A notable name for the Pittsburgh Steelers is "holding in" at mandatory minicamp.

Star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is in attendance but did not work during the portion of practice the media could report on.

Joey Porter Jr. during drills at Steelers practice to begin minicamp pic.twitter.com/9dtazLwfU3
— Noah Strackbein (@NoahStrackbein) June 2, 2026

The 25-year-old is looking for a long-term extension from the Steelers as he enters the final season of his rookie contract, and "holding in" is a common practice across the league in these types of situations.

Porter Jr. is likely, and should be, Pittsburgh's No. 1 priority when it comes to the list of candidates for new deals, particularly when it comes to the franchise's 2023 draft class that also includes Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington, Keeanu Benton and Spencer Anderson.

Should There Be Any Concern with Porter Jr.'s Contract Situation?

The overwhelming expectation remains that an agreement will come together down the line, and there should be next to no concern in that regard.

Porter Jr. has a long-standing history with the organization given that his father, Joey Porter Sr., played eight seasons in Pittsburgh, won Super Bowl XL with them and is in their Hall of Honor.

The Steelers know they can't let Porter Jr. walk out the door, and while extension talks in this case should be more straightforward than they typically would be considering how much money will be on the table, patience is key.

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts on the field against the Indianapolis Colts during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Even if the situation drags out, that won't change the temperature of the situation. It's a business at the end of the day, but franchise corners are hard to come by, and there's a deep-rooted relationship at play here.

Pittsburgh knows that, and it values Porter Jr. far too much to not get a deal done.

What Could a Potential Extension Look Like?

Porter Jr. is not going to reset the cornerback market, but he'll still slot in near the top of the list in terms of average annual and total value when it's all said and done.

The top comparisons for him are Jaycee Horn, who inked a four-year extension worth $100 million ($25 million AAV) with the Carolina Panthers and Patrick Surtain, who signed a four-year deal worth $96 million ($24 million AVV) in September 2024 just before he began his AP Defensive Player of the Year-winning campaign with the Denver Broncos.

Correspondingly, a four-year pact worth $98 million, or somewhere in that immediate range, should be enough to get a contract done.

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