The Seattle Seahawks are clearly concerned about what they have at cornerback heading into the 2026 season, as the team has recently made inroads to work out an agreement in principle with Terrion Arnold and then sign Trevon Diggs. Neither is a bona fide star at this point, but Seattle still needs help at the position.
The kind of help that Joey Porter Jr. can provide is high quality. The issue is that he is currently a seemingly unhappy member of the Pittsburgh Steelers and is on the physically unable to perform list with an injured back. At least, that is the reason being given for why he is not practicing.
If you ask some of his teammates, Porter simply wants to get a contract extension, and he is set for free agency next offseason. As a 2023 second-round draft pick, Pittsburgh didn't have a fifth-year option to exercise, so they either extend him, franchise tag him next year, or let him walk away in free agency.
Seattle Seahawks' time to make a play for the Pittsburgh Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. is now
A fourth option would be to trade Porter before the season in hopes of recouping some excellent draft value. In the last calendar year, top cornerbacks Sauce Gardner, now of the Indianapolis Colts, and Trent McDuffie, now of the Los Angeles Rams, have been dealt by their previous teams, the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, for at least one first-round pick.
Pittsburgh might want that if they were even open to trading Porter. Porter might want to be traded, though.
According to ESPN, Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey said, "We need the whole secondary out there. (The Steelers) got to pay Joey Porter."
In the same article, linebacker Patrick Queen says, "I got my money, so at the end of the day I could only be happy if he gets his. But he deserves it. We all love Joey. We still talk to him. He's one of the coolest guys in the locker room. Easy to get along with. And just watching him from afar, then coming and being his teammate, he's been a baller, and I just hope he gets paid."
Even if Porter is currently hurt, the issue isn't expected to be a long-term problem, and likely at the root of the situation is that he wants to get a new contract. He showed up to training camp, so he can't be fined, but if he claims injury, the team shouldn't play him.
This is how the Seattle Seahawks can help the Pittsburgh Steelers out of their dilemma. Would general manager John Schneider give a first-round choice to Pittsburgh for Porter, along with potentially a later-round selection? Maybe not, though that does seem to be the going rate currently for top-notch cornerbacks.
Where Seattle has an advantage is how many projected draft picks they have next year, and that is as many as 12, including projected comp picks from free agents, such as cornerback Riq Woolen, that were lost this past offseason. Schneider has more than enough draft capital to work out some kind of deal with the Steelers, perhaps a second-round pick in 2027 and a third-rounder in 2028.
Of course, acquiring Joey Porter Jr. would also mean paying him lots of money beginning in 2027, assuming the team getting Porter has plans to offer him an extension rather quickly. According to Over the Cap, the Seahawks have a projected $36 million in cap room next year. The team also has $20 million left in 2026, which would roll over to 2027. Plus, the cap number will likely go up again.
To make matters even better, the players that Seattle needs to spend money on in the future have mostly already been extended, including edge rusher Derick Hall, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Quarterback Sam Darnold isn't due for a new deal until after the 2027 season.
All the pieces are aligned for the Seattle Seahawks to make a move on Joey Porter Jr, who has a career passer rating allowed of just 71.2, including a staggeringly low number of 57.2 in 2025, and who, at 6'2" and 200 pounds, would be the perfect size for head coach Mike Macdonald's defense. John Schneider simply needs to make a call to the Steelers, if he hasn't already.
Adding Porter would be a huge upgrade for Seattle immediately, and keeps the defense elite for more seasons to come. It also means the Seahawks don't need to worry about drafting a cornerback, and can focus on another spot like edge rusher. There would be no downside to a move to get Porter, for either the team or the player.
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