NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo just dropped a bombshell: the Steelers have put a contract offer on the table for star cornerback Joey Porter Jr., but apparently, it’s not even close to what’s needed. Garafolo reported late Tuesday that the proposed deal was flat-out “not good enough” to be deemed close, meaning there’s still a ton of ground to cover. We’re talking about an “actual negotiation” now, which is progress, but it feels like a marathon, not a sprint, especially with games starting.
The Big Gap and the Market Mover
Look, Porter Jr. is the last big-name cornerback still gunning for an extension this offseason, and the market just got completely reset. Just early Tuesday morning, the Patriots went all-in, agreeing to a monster four-year, $135 million deal with cornerback Christian Gonzalez. That’s a record-setter, and you just know Porter Jr. and his agent are looking at that number. So for Pittsburgh to throw out an offer that’s “not good enough,” it tells you there’s a serious disconnect here. The Steelers have “shown a willingness to engage,” which is cool, but Garafolo said there’s “a lot of work to be done.” No kidding.
Urgency Is Piling Up in Steel City
The clock is absolutely ticking. Porter Jr. finally got back to practice after spending most of the summer chilling on the physically unable to perform list, so it looked like things were finally moving. But here’s the kicker: Pittsburgh has a strict policy of *not* negotiating once games start. And get this: Porter Jr. hasn’t even ruled out an in-season holdout. That adds a massive “extra sense of urgency” to these talks. You gotta wonder if the Steelers are playing hardball too much. Even beat writers like PennLive’s Nick Farabaugh posted that Pittsburgh probably won’t need to make him the *highest-paid* corner to get a deal done, but clearly, they need to do better than “not good enough.”
We’ve only got “a couple of days for both sides to figure out what are the right numbers to get a deal done.” With the regular season here, this isn’t just about money anymore, it’s about getting their guy on the field and avoiding a potentially disastrous holdout. What a mess.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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