Steelers rumors: ESPN predicts Joey Porter Jr., not Christian Gonzalez, to get next big CB deal

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a win-now window heading into the 2026 season. Aaron Rodgers is preparing for his final season in the NFL. But looking towards the future, one Steelers player could be close to landing a huge contract extension.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell explored which players could be next to land huge contract extensions in his latest article. He mulled over a few options at the cornerback position before ultimately landing on Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.

First, he explained why Porter could beat elite cornerbacks like Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon to the punch.

“Between Porter, Christian Gonzalez of the Patriots, DJ Turner II of the Bengals and Devon Witherspoon of the Seahawks, there are four corners who could credibly command market-setting deals from the 2023 class alone,” Barnwell wrote. “Gonzalez and Witherspoon are represented by the same agency, which complicates their negotiations and makes it easier to play the waiting game. They’re also first-round picks, leaving them with fifth-year options in 2028.”

Between the two remaining cornerbacks, he settled on Porter.

“As second-round picks, Porter and Turner are in the final years of their respective deals, which might make their situations more pressing,” Barnwell added. “The Bengals aren’t exactly known for being prompt with negotiations, and after Pittsburgh signed linebacker Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington to extensions in recent weeks, Porter and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton should be next up for the Steelers.”

Porter would be well deserving of a large contract extension. He had 52 total tackles, 14 passes defensed, and one interception in just 14 games last season.

But an extension could be tricky for Pittsburgh to pull off. They only have $3.19 million in cap space in 2026. It will only rise to $4.50 million in 2027. That means the Steelers may need to make addition moves to create space for a Porter extension.

It will be interesting to see if Barnwell’s prediction ends up coming true.

The post Steelers rumors: ESPN predicts Joey Porter Jr., not Christian Gonzalez, to get next big CB deal appeared first on ClutchPoints.