The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to complete a contract extension with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. before the start of the regular season. The timing depends on similar deals for Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon, who are set to reset the cornerback market.
The Steelers hope to finalize an agreement with Porter before Week 1. His deal could be delayed by extensions for Gonzalez with the New England Patriots and Witherspoon with the Seattle Seahawks.
Robert Kraft stated that the Patriots have offered Gonzalez a contract to reset the market at the position. Seahawks beat writer Gregg Bell reported that Witherspoon’s new deal, potentially worth around $31 million per year, appears imminent.
Both Gonzalez and Witherspoon are likely to earn more than Porter on their extensions. The Steelers report to training camp on Tuesday and begin practicing on Wednesday, making an early agreement ideal to avoid any hold-in issues.
Porter’s readiness could be affected if talks extend into camp, especially given the team’s challenging early schedule against top receivers.
