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On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will report to Saint Vincent College for the start of training camp. Rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. remains the only member of the Steelers 2023 NFL draft class who doesn’t have a contract.
The Steelers selected Porter with the first pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Penn State. Porter has been impressive in minicamp and OTAs and it feels like a foregone conclusion he will replace Levi Wallace in the starting lineup.
But if he isn’t signed to a contract by the start of camp, it wouldn’t make sense for him to report. Even as talented as he is, Porter can’t afford a lot of missed days when he’s trying to impress the coaches, develop chemistry with his teammates and secure a spot in the starting lineup.
We’ve already talked about why this contract is taking some time. Porter was a second-round pick but the No. 32 overall selection. That would normally be a first-round pick. The difference in contracts between the last pick in the first round and the first pick in the second round is significant and the most likely holdup.
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