With the news that the New England Patriots and cornerback Christian Gonzalez have agreed on a massive new contract, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is the last man standing. The Patriots are giving Gonzalez a 4-year, $135M extension with $102M guaranteed puts him on top at an average of $33.75 million per season.
This move could be the catalyst that gets negotiations going between the Steelers and Porter Jr. with just five days until the Steelers first preseason game. Porter Jr. has been dealing with a reported back injury through the preseason and has spent the entire time on the PUP list. Porter Jr. was activated on Sunday and is "ramping up," as head coach Mike McCarthy calls it, as he works his way back into the lineup. The
question still remains: if Porter Jr. doesn't have a contract will he play on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons or will be hold out?
The Steelers already have one of the 10 highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL on the roster. Jalen Ramsey averages $24 million per year. Even Jamel Dean, who the Steelers added in the offseason to start next to Porter Jr. is making $4.5 million per season on average, compared to Porter Jr. at $2.249 million per year.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Patriots make CB Christian Gonzalez highest-paid cornerback in the NFL
