First impressions matter. They can shape how you’re viewed long after the initial interaction. According to Gerry Dulac, Joey Porter Jr.’s first impression with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ new coaching staff wasn’t a particularly good one.
“He did not do himself any favors by coming in with a new coaching staff and not doing anything in the spring,” Dulac said via FOX Sports Pittsburgh during his nightly training camp review. “That did not sit well with them. I don’t know that that’s going to affect the contract that he’s gonna sign. He’s gonna get a nice piece of money, and he should because they can’t afford not to sign him.”
Porter was present, but did not participate in practice throughout the spring. It’s become an annual tradition for players looking for new contracts around the league. The Steelers went through this with Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt over the last two years. But the difference this time is the new coaching staff.
It’s understandable why Porter followed the new league norm to protect his leverage, but he doesn’t have the same history with this coaching staff that previous Steelers players did. Heyward and Watt had years of built-up trust and production that allowed them to navigate those situations differently.
Dulac has been consistent in his reporting that the Steelers don’t view Porter as a top-five cornerback in the NFL. That could create a difficult negotiation if Porter’s camp values him differently, something Porter himself has confirmed during podcast appearances.
Denzel Ward reset the market on Tuesday with $31.1 million APY and healthy guaranteed cash flow. Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon are expected to push that even higher in the coming months. If both beat Porter to the punch, that would make six cornerbacks signed to over $30 million APY before Porter gets an extension.
Given the nature of a rapidly-inflating salary cap, most players deemed anywhere close to the top of their position reset the market or come close to it, and chances are their deal will look cheap in a couple years. Just look at Patrick Surtain II, who received $24 million APY just a couple years ago as the top corner in the league.
Where will Porter’s number land? Dulac is thinking much lower than most expect.
“I don’t think he’s gonna get $25 million. This idea that he was gonna set the market. They do not believe that he is a top-five corner and this idea that he’s a shutdown corner. They don’t believe that,” Dulac said.
If that’s how each side feels, it’s easy to see why Omar Khan said Tuesday that no contract extensions are imminent. The gap between what Porter and the Steelers believe he’s worth could make a deal difficult to reach before the season, potentially forcing a franchise tag option next offseason.