As back issues and stalled negotiations cloud Joey Porter Jr.’s status, Pittsburgh risks entering Week 1 without their star cornerback while the clock ticks on a deal.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have some uncertainty on defense heading into the weekend before they play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday for Week 1.
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has been dealing with a back injury since training camp. He was placed on the PUP list in camp before being cleared by the Steelers medical staff to return to practice at the end of August.
This week, Porter was placed on the injury report for having a back issue. He was a limited participant in practice this week. Per the final injury report released on Friday, he's questionable to play Atlanta, the only Pittsburgh player on the report.
Porter's questionable status comes amid a public contract dispute with the Steelers. Porter reportedly would to be paid in the ranger of Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez, who are making $30 million plus per season.
Earlier this week, Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy suggested everyone on the team, including Porter, would be healthy enough to play the Falcons.
"We're healthy," said McCarthy. "I don't really expect anybody to have a hard time getting ready... We game planned for Atlanta expecting everyone to play.
"We want to use the resources. I know we're new at this. I have a board, and all healthy names are on the board. You have projections of what your 48 are going to be."
McCarthy was hopeful Porter would practice more on Wednesday than he did on Monday.
The Steelers are running out of time to finalize a deal with Porter before the start of the regular season, a traditional deadline for Pittsburgh to finish deals since it does not negotiate during the regular season.
This week, we've seen several notable deals in the NFL, including Gonzalez, Baker Mayfield and D'Andre Swift.
Could Porter be the next to be paid?
It depends on if both sides are willing to compromise. The Steelers risk letting the 2023 second-round pick walk to free agency next year if no deal is reached.
For Porter, he'll need to put up good tape to show his next team his worth.
Which would mean suiting up against the Falcons, if he's healthy enough to do so.
