As contract negotiations between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. stall, a major point of discussion has been the third-year cornerback’s true market value. While Porter’s camp reportedly seeks elite, top-of-market compensation, national analysts argue his on-field production does not justify resetting the position’s salary hierarchy.
Speaking on “Pro Football Talk,” Mike Florio and Chris Simms pointed out the massive divide between Porter’s asking price and Pittsburgh’s valuation limit.
"Joey Porter Jr., if he's trying to say, 'Hey, I'm the next guy up. I'm going to jump Devon Witherspoon. He got the latest deal. I want to be the highest paid.' The Steelers aren't going to do it," Florio explained. "There's been no progress because
they're in two different universes, two different galaxies of what the player wants and what the team is willing to pay."
Simms further broke down why Porter does not belong in the tier of elite lockdown corners like Christian Gonzalez or Witherspoon, emphasizing that Pittsburgh’s scheme does not assign him true shadow duties.
"We don't ever turn on a Steelers game and go, 'Who's Joey Porter following today?' That's not a thing," Simms observed. "Porter can play some man-to-man, but it's not necessarily his strength. And holding and pass interference have been an issue for him when he does do that."
Simms noted that this discrepancy explains why Porter's hold-in hasn't gripped national headlines in the same manner as other high-profile contract stalemates across the league.
"I don't think he's what a lot of people in football looked at as like, 'Oh, this is the top corner in the sport,'" Simms added. "I think that explains why we are where we are. Joey Porter Jr. is not one of the top four, five corners."
Until Porter's camp aligns its financial expectations with his current tape, Pittsburgh appears content to stay firm on its valuation.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Why Joey Porter Jr.'s contract demands aren't matching his film
