Jalen Ramsey finally returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice on Monday. One of the first things he did was to make it clear who else he wanted to keep alongside him in the secondary.
Jalen Ramsey Pushes Steelers To Pay Joey Porter Jr.
Ramsey publicly backed Joey Porter Jr., as the fourth-year cornerback remains away from practice amid a back issue and stalled contract negotiations with Pittsburgh. His message to the Steelers’ front office was not particularly subtle.
“We need the whole secondary out there,” Ramsey said, according to 93.7 The Fan. “They got to pay Joey Porter.”
Ramsey later doubled down while discussing his teammate’s value.
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“I’m overly in Joey’s corner,” Ramsey said. “Joey needs to get compensated for being a valuable part of this secondary and being a valuable part of this defense and team.”
Jalen Ramsey voiced support for Joey Porter Jr. amid contract dispute with Steelers, via @937theFan:
“We need the whole secondary out there. They got to pay Joey Porter.” pic.twitter.com/NXSJgeDYLM
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 24, 2026
Ramsey and Porter spent considerable time together away from practice during training camp. Both opened camp on the physically unable to perform list, with Ramsey recovering from a knee injury and Porter dealing with a back issue.
Ramsey returned Monday. Porter did not.
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Head coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged before practice that Pittsburgh and Porter are currently “at an impasse” in negotiations. Porter is entering the final season of the rookie contract he signed after Pittsburgh selected him No. 32 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The contract situation had been brewing before training camp. Porter participated in individual work during minicamp but stayed out of full team periods while seeking an extension.
Joey Porter Jr. Has Case for Major Extension
Porter’s argument for a lucrative deal became considerably stronger after his 2025 season.
He recorded a career-high 14 passes defended while allowing no touchdowns in coverage. PFN ranked Porter No. 33 overall among its Top 100 players entering 2026 after he produced an 88.0 PFN CB Impact score, third-best among NFL cornerbacks.
He also allowed a 56.2 passer rating when targeted and only 5.0 yards per target, establishing himself as one of Pittsburgh’s most valuable young defenders.
The timing is complicated by an exploding cornerback market. Five NFL cornerbacks now average at least $30 million annually, according to figures cited by 93.7 The Fan, while Porter has said he considers himself an elite player and wants the respect he believes he has earned.
Pittsburgh historically prefers to finish major extensions before the regular season, leaving less than three weeks before its opener against Atlanta.
Ramsey does not sound interested in watching that deadline arrive without a deal.
“They got to pay Joey Porter,” he repeated.
For a Steelers secondary designed to feature Ramsey and Porter together, his reasoning is simple. The pairing only works if both cornerbacks are actually on the field.
