Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr. saga has gone far enough. Just pay him
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Key Points:
- Joey Porter Jr. is currently involved in a contract holdout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is unrelated to his reported injury during practice.
- The Steelers' management, including owner Art Rooney III and GM Omar Khan, are criticized for inflating the market by giving large extensions to backup players and breaking franchise financial rules.
- Porter Jr. is seeking a salary around $30 million per year, in line with top NFL cornerbacks, while his teammates reportedly support his stance.
- The holdout is causing significant disruption to the Steelers' season, damaging team morale and potentially weakening the secondary if Porter is traded or plays without a new contract.
- Critics argue the Steelers have sufficient cap space to meet Porter's demands and should prioritize retaining him to maintain competitiveness, despite concerns about overpaying.
