Is the 2026 Steelers Edge Rusher Investment Blocking an Extension for ‘JPJ’?
The Pittsburgh Steelers recently made headlines when they signed outside linebacker Nick Herbig to a four-year $100 million contract extension in early June. With the 24-year-old's deal, the Steel City is dishing out more than $80 million annually to their edge rushing trio of Herbig, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith. No other team is paying this much money to one position group, and outside of quarterbacks, no team values a position group the same way the Steelers do with their edge rushers. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Ray Fittipaldo noted, “It’s been a consistent aspect of their team building for years. Pass rushers have always been favored by the organization. Where that leaves Porter is anyone’s guess.” Fittpaldo isn’t wrong. Before Highsmith, the Steelers had Bud Dupree, and even with superstars like Watt on the team, that never stopped the organization from selecting other promising edge rushers. The issue arises when your top three outside linebackers are all starting-caliber players, eating a huge chunk of a team’s salary cap. Right now, the Steelers only have $6.6 million in cap space, even after the cap increase; they won’t have enough to give Joey Porter Jr. a much-deserved extension.
‘JPJ’ has been a staple in Pittsburgh’s secondary since he was drafted in 2023. Yes, pass interference or holding calls have plagued the 25-year-old cornerback early on, but his 2025 campaign was simply spectacular. He regularly would erase an entire receiver from the game, forcing a team to rely on their second or third options rather than their star receiver. In 2025, Porter Jr. had allowed a sub-50% completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks and typically limited whichever receiver he was on to two or three catches for 20-30 yards. ‘JPJ’ may not come down with many interceptions, but these stats are ridiculously elite. Outside of Porter Jr., the Steelers have a history of failing to draft capable cornerbacks. The last cornerback drafted by the Steelers to receive an extension was Cameron Sutton, drafted in 2017, who was a slot cornerback. The last outside cornerback to play at Porter’s level was Ike Taylor, who retired back in 2014. It would be a huge mistake for the Steel City to let the young shutdown corner leave in free agency after the 2026 season.
It’s the same story every year: Pittsburgh needs a cornerback. They finally found their franchise guy in ‘JPJ’, but are on the fence about keeping him in the Steel City. Instead of dishing out $80 million to one position, which the Steelers have a history of drafting well, they need to extend one of their best young game-changers with the team. Although reports have floated all summer that any trade rumors surrounding Watt and Highsmith are false, that is exactly what the Steelers need to do. Herbig is only 24 years old and was just signed on through the 2030 season, while second-year linebacker Jack Sawyer is ready to jump in and make his presence known with the black and gold. The Steelers can get a plethora of draft compensation if they deal one of their top pass rushers away, while largely increasing their cap space. The pass rush is a staple in Pittsburgh and has been forever. The same way that the lack of cornerback help is also a staple, but all of this can change. The Steelers have a perfect opportunity on their hands. Lock up ‘JPJ’ by any means necessary, and they keep one of the league's best outside cornerbacks around for the prime of his career.
