PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He would know something about big-money contracts, Jalen Ramsey is the seventh-highest paid cornerback in the NFL, according to overthecap.com, and he said the Steelers need to pay Joey Porter, Junior what he’s worth.
Ramsey went through his first practice of training camp Monday at the UPMC Rooney facility on the South Side, missing all of the time in Latrobe on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to a knee injury.
While he was out, he spent a lot of time with Porter, Junior, who is also listed on the Physically Unable to Perform list with some type of back tweak. Each worked out on side fields daily while missing practice. Seems like they’ve formed a tight bond.
“They need to pay Joey,” Ramsey said when he was asked about putting the secondary together.
“I’m overly in Joey’s corner. Joey needs to get compensated for being a valuable part of this secondary and being a valuable of this defense and team.”
It’s unknown exactly what Porter, Junior is asking for out of a new contract, but Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said before practice the team was ‘at an impasse’ with negotiations.
McCarthy said talks at impasse with Porter, Junior
Porter is in the final season of his rookie deal and said during team mini-camp in June that he feels like he’s ‘an elite guy’ and wants ‘the respect I feel like I’m owed’.
Per NFL stats, Porter, Junior has not allowed a touchdown pass against him in three years. Last season he had 52 tackles (35 solo) and a career-high 14 passes defensed with an interception (3 INTs in his career).
The top five NFL corners all make at least $30 million a year per overthecap.com
- Devon Witherspoon (Seattle, $33 million per season, $101 million guaranteed, 26-years-old)
- Denzel Ward (Cleveland, $31.1 million per, $49.8 million guaranteed, 29-years-old)
- Trent McDuffie (Rams, $31 million per, $100 million guaranteed, 26-years-old)
- Ahmad Gardner (Indianapolis, $30.1 million per, $85.6 million guaranteed, 25-years-old)
- Derek Stingley, Jr (Houston, $30 million per, $89 million guaranteed, 25-years-old)
It then drops to Carolina’s Jaycee Horn (27-years-old, $25 million per, $70 million guaranteed) and then the 32-year-old Ramsey ($24.1 million per, $29.2 million guaranteed and is under contract for 2027 and 2028). Ramsey is the only player in the top 10 of salary over 30.
Porter, Junior said in June he just wants to be around the guys as much as possible. McCarthy said Monday he, and the defensive coaches, want to be able to coach Porter, Junior. Yet there is no movement.
Over the years from Troy Polamalu to TJ Watt these negotiations have gone to the 11th hour. We are under three weeks before the start of the season and the team’s self-imposed deadline to get a contract finished.
“They got to pay Joey Porter,” Ramsey said a second time.
Will they?
7th highest paid corner in NFL makes case to pay Porter, Junior
7th highest paid corner in NFL makes case to pay Porter, Junior
