The Pittsburgh Steelers have primarily looked to build through the draft over the last few seasons, nabbing quite a number of key starters across the board.

Their 2023 NFL Draft was especially loaded with talent, as the Steelers paired first-round tackle Broderick Jones with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (second round), defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (second round), and edge rusher Nick Herbig (fourth round).

While that class is not yet extension-eligible, it’s safe to assume the Steelers would like a few of those players to stick around for the next few seasons.

With Pittsburgh looking to contend with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, it’ll be a crucial year for the third-year pros, with one of them looking to bounce back in 2025: Porter Jr.

After a promising rookie campaign, the cornerback struggled with penalties this past season, raising questions as to whether he could reach his ceiling of being a top cornerback in the NFL.

He’ll have less on his shoulders with Darius Slay coming to town on a one-year, $10 million deal, but Porter will look to prove himself to secure that long-term extension in 2026.

Should he have a productive 2025 season, what could that rookie extension look like next offseason?

Baseline numbers for a Joey Porter Jr. extension

Young cornerbacks have taken over the league with massive rookie extensions over the past few offseasons, with Houston Texans defensive back Derek Stingley Jr. leading the way.

He earned a three-year, $90 million deal this offseason that included a whopping $89 million guaranteed, making him the sixth-highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, regardless of position.

Other extensions include Jaycee Horn (four years, $100 million), Patrick Surtain II (four years, $96 million), A.J. Terrell (four years, $81 million), and Tyson Campbell (four years, $76.5 million).

Honestly, I’m not sure that Porter will even reach the money that Campbell earned unless he takes a massive step forward in his third year. Looking at baselines, there are a couple of other extensions that could set the floor and ceiling for the former second-rounder.

On the floor side, Chicago’s Kyler Gordon and Green Bay’s Nate Hobbs make sense. Gordon earned a three-year, $40 million deal this offseason, while Hobbs signed a four-year, $48 million deal in free agency.

The $12-13 million range seems like a healthy floor for Porter with a solid season, given how the salary cap continues to increase and the value of the cornerback position.

On the other side, Christian Benford, Deommodore Lenoir, and Paulsen Adebo seem like good ceilings if Porter plays well in 2025.

All three ranged around $17-18 million per year on their rookie extensions, while getting at least $35 million in guaranteed money.

Projecting a Joey Porter Jr. deal

It’s tough to project, but given the rise of the salary cap and the expected improvements for the cornerback, I’d place an extension closer to the ceiling numbers listed above.

Porter doesn’t have a fifth-year option as a second-round pick, so next offseason would be a logical time for an extension with just one year left on his rookie deal.

The cornerback will be entering his age-25 season this year, so he may look for a four-year deal to get him back on the market for another big contract when the time comes.

Looking at projections, a four-year deal worth around $72 million would make sense, placing him in that upper echelon of breakout cornerbacks, with the guarantee structure being important.

The Steelers normally are very careful with their guarantees, but have handed out large sums of money to key players (see T.J. Watt) in the past. I’d expect Porter to get two years of guaranteed money, in addition to his signing bonus, at signing.

Of course, the bonus structure may change exactly how that money is allocated, but around $40 million in guarantees would make sense for a four-year deal.

Projection: 4 years, $72.4 million, $40 million guarantees