What happened: Pittsburgh has neither made nor received any serious trade inquiries for Joey Porter Jr. as his contract standoff carries into the season, per ESPN. The gap is tied to both Porter's contract valuation and his push for guarantees beyond the first year.
Why it matters: That leaves the Steelers trying to resolve a dispute while Porter remains out of the lineup, extending Joey Porter Jr.'s uncertain Steelers status into another game week. It also suggests rival clubs have not been willing to meet both Porter's contract terms and Pittsburgh's reported trade price.
By the numbers: Porter is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Pittsburgh has been tied to a first-round asking price in prior trade talks. The Steelers also gave DK Metcalf $60 million fully guaranteed over the first two years of his 2025 deal, while T.J. Watt is one of the few internal precedents for broader guarantees.
What to watch: Watch whether Porter is again inactive Sunday and whether Pittsburgh shifts either its asking price or its guarantee structure. Movement on either front would be the clearest sign the stalemate is changing.