Steelers get bad news on Joey Porter Jr. situation after Patriots update

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a major problem on their hands, as Joey Porter Jr.'s contract price may soon skyrocket following a huge update from the New England Patriots.

As the Steelers attempt to sign Porter to a long-term extension before the cornerback market explodes, the Patriots beat them to the punch. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that New England offered All-Pro Christian Gonzalez a new deal that would make him the highest-paid cornerback in the league.

The #Patriots made an offer that would make Christian Gonzalez the NFL’s highest-paid CB, per owner Robert Kraft. https://t.co/Eo0B6dF6b2

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2026

Currently, the highest-paid cornerback in the league is Trent McDuffie of the Los Angeles Rams, who carries an average annual salary of $31 million. With Gonzalez all but set to receive a deal that puts him in the $32 million-plus range, the Steelers have been put in a disastrous situation with Porter.

Porter has proven himself to be one of the best man-coverage cornerbacks in the league over the past three years, but the Steelers have been hesitant to give him an extension so far this offseason. ESPN previously predicted Porter would reset the market when he signs a new deal, and it looks like it could break the Steelers' bank.

Pittsburgh has been down this road before with the waiting game the team played with T.J. Watt in 2025, which ultimately blew up in their faces as the edge-rusher market exploded. Hopefully, the Steelers can get ahead of the curve with Porter this time around.

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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers get bad news on Joey Porter Jr. situation after Patriots update