The annual mandatory minicamps around the NFL have now wrapped up and ahead of that happening this past week, we saw several more members of the 2023 draft class come to terms on their rookie contracts. The Pittsburgh Steelers, however, still have yet to sign their top three selections in 2023 NFL Draft: tackle Broderick Jones, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton. If you’re wondering why that is, I will explain the reasons for each player still being unsigned at this point of the offseason below.
T Broderick Jones – The four-year contract that Jones is expected to sign should total out at right around $16,626,353 due to his slotting position. Additionally, it’s also easy to predict that all four years of Jones’ deal will be fully guaranteed. The main holdup when it comes to getting Jones signed is more than likely related to the payout time frame of his expected signing bonus, which should be right around $9,091,893. According to rookie NFL contract enthusiast Daniel Salib, the Steelers usually pay 75 to 85 percent of the signing bonus of their first-round picks within 15 days of them signing their contracts and then the rest in October. So, the two sides are likely still haggling a bit over that part of the contract. The holdup could also just be procedural in nature.
It should be noted that a few first-round selections on both sides of Jones have yet to sign their rookie deals as well and once again, the delay in those signings is also likely related to signing bonus payout time frames. Once Jones gets boxed in a bit more, we should see him sign his rookie contract. Last year, the Steelers signed their 2022 first-round draft pick, quarterback Kenny Pickett, on June 23rd. He was the 20th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
CB Joey Porter Jr. – The four-year contract that Porter is expected to sign should total out at right around $9,618,343 due to his slotting position. The delay in Porter getting signed is probably related to where he was drafted. He was the 32nd overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft and that spot is normally in the first round. The reason he was the 32nd overall selection this year is due to the Miami Dolphins having to forfeit their first-round selection. Porter’s side is likely to argue that the cornerback’s contract should be fully guaranteed as if he were drafted in the first round. At the very least, his agent will argue for a high percentage of Porter’s fourth and final year to be fully guaranteed.
Selected one pick after Porter in the 2023 NFL Draft was quarterback Will Levis, and while the trend of this year’s second-round selections to date now has him on track to have 25 percent of his fourth and final year fully guaranteed, his agent might press the Tennessee Titans for a higher number with him being a quarterback. The Levis side might also be waiting to see what percentage of Porter’s fourth and final year is fully guaranteed so they can negotiate off that.
While the signings below Porter now dictate that the cornerback should have 30 percent of his fourth and final year fully guaranteed, we could see the two sides haggle and decide on a percentage of right around 75. I highly doubt that the Steelers will cave and fully guarantee Porter’s entire rookie contract just because he was the 32nd overall selection this year. In short, we might be waiting quite a bit longer for Porter to sign his rookie contract, especially if Levis and his side are waiting for the cornerback to sign his deal. Quite honestly, there’s a decent chance that either Porter or Levis wind up being the last member of the 2023 draft class to sign their rookie deals.
DT Keeanu Benton – As for Benton remaining unsigned at this point of the offseason, that situation is likely related to percentage of guarantees in the third year of his rookie contract. Benton’s four-year rookie contract is expected to total out at around $7,333,121 with the first two years of it definitely being fully guaranteed. The players selected one spot before and one spot after Benton in the 2023 NFL Draft, guard Cody Mauch and wide receiver Jayden Reed, respectively, both remain unsigned as well.
Mauch figures to be the key domino in this group of three players and that’s due to where the offensive lineman was picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last year Washington Commanders defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, the 47th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, got 8% of the third year of his rookie contract guaranteed. According to Salib, he was the last player who received any year-three guarantees.
Mauch, the 48th overall selection in this year’s draft, should be able to get 8% or more of his third year guaranteed, Sailb speculates. In turn, he told me that Benton should be able to get 5 to 10 percent of his third year guaranteed as well. So, when it comes to Benton, it might be a waiting game for him to see what percentages of Year Three that Mauch and Reed both get. Benton, by the way, is right near the middle of several 2023 second-round selections who also remain unsigned.
