The Pittsburgh Steelers' situation with Joey Porter Jr. is getting ugly fast as the 2026 season continues to roll on, with trade rumors and speculation generating more buzz by the day. But will the Steelers actually consider a trade? Possibly, but there's reason to believe Porter isn't going anywhere unless there's an offer on the table Pittsburgh simply can't refuse.
Porter was looking for a contract extension over the past several months, but unfortunately, the deadline to get a deal done with the Steelers came and went. Pittsburgh refuses to negotiate contracts midseason, which means Porter will either have to play out his rookie deal or hold out from games.
The Steelers activated Porter off the physically unable to perform list with a back
injury almost three weeks ago. Mike McCarthy has hinted that Porter was being ramped up in practice and would play when healthy. But he recently, and mysteriously, left practice early with a member of the Steelers' medical staff ahead of Week 2's game against the New England Patriots.
Some believe the back injury has less to do with health and more to do with contracts, which is why the Steelers' trade talk rumors have been so red hot. But make no mistake, Pittsburgh holds all the cards in this situation. Porter has one more year remaining on his deal and will likely be franchise tagged after the 2026 season. Although the situation seems bleak, don't expect a Steelers trade just quite yet.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Will Steelers trade Joey Porter Jr.? What fans should know
