With Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez getting their new contracts, another 2023 draft pick at the same position is still waiting for his reward.
Per a source with knowledge of the negotiations, nothing is imminent. However, the two sides have been talking.
Porter, the first pick in round two (and the 32nd overall that year because the Dolphins had been stripped of their first-round pick), is due to make $3.924 million in 2026, the final year of his deal. If he doesn’t get a new contract by Sunday, it’s “up in the air,” we’re told, as to whether he’ll play.
Complicating matters is the Steelers’ policy against negotiating once the regular season begins. So if a contract isn’t done by Sunday, ii won’t be this year — unless the Steelers deviate from their outdated policy.
The two sides obviously disagree on the amount to be paid for a cornerback who has yet to make it to a Pro Bowl. And it’s unclear whether the gap can be bridged.
Absent a deal, will Porter play? It will be hard for the team to question the legitimacy of a back problem (he was limited in practice on Wednesday), and he could sit indefinitely in protest of the prospect of playing for less than $4 million.
Another issue is the fact that Porter’s father, Joey Porter Sr., who played in the NFL for 13 seasons and who is definitely involved in the situation. Joey Sr.’s knowledge of how the sausage gets made becomes a factor in whether a deal gets done, and whether Joey Jr. will take the best offer on the table before the season starts.
However it goes, it needs to go somewhere — or nowhere — quickly. And if they don’t finalize a contract, it could get awkward and potentially ugly.
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