The Steelers have their initial 53-man roster — but some of the moves they made to get there raise bigger questions about the direction of the organization.

In Episode 9 of the Pittsburgh Football Podcast, I break down the ongoing contract standoff between Joey Porter Jr. and the Steelers as the clock ticks toward the start of the regular season. With Porter activated from the PUP list and Pittsburgh expecting healthy players to practice, who actually has the leverage now? What happens if Porter continues to hold out and starts accumulating fines? And if he returns without a new contract, does that give the Steelers the upper hand?

More importantly: if the Steelers aren't willing to find a way to extend a young, homegrown player like Porter after successfully drafting and developing him, who exactly are they willing to pay?

Then, I dig into the trades of Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys and Kaleb Johnson to the Green Bay Packers. While Pittsburgh managed to get draft capital in return for two players who may not have had significant roles this season, both trades highlight a troubling trend.

Jones was the No. 14 overall pick in 2023. Johnson was the No. 83 overall pick in 2025. Now both are gone — joining a growing list of premium Steelers draft picks who failed to become long-term building blocks for the franchise.

Topics include:

• The latest on Joey Porter Jr.'s contract negotiations
• The leverage Porter and the Steelers each have
• Why the start of the regular season creates a critical deadline
• What happens if Porter practices without a new contract
• Pittsburgh's win-now approach and why Porter should be part of it
• What the Broderick Jones trade says about his development
• Why the Kaleb Johnson trade is more concerning than it might appear
• The Steelers' troubling recent history with first-round draft picks
• Why drafting, developing AND retaining talent has become such an important issue

The regular season is almost here! Subscribe to the Pittsburgh Football Podcast for Steelers and Pitt football coverage throughout the 2026 season.

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TIME STAMPS:

00:00 - Intro
04:48 - Is Joey Porter Jr. Going to be a Steeler in 2026?
20:15 - Broderick Jones and Kaleb Johnson Traded