The Pittsburgh Steelers removed cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the PUP list to place him on the active roster before the deadline Sunday. But that doesn’t mean Porter is ready to fully practice after dealing with a back injury this summer.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday morning Porter is still “day-to-day” because of the back ailment. Garafolo also notably provided an update into Porter’s contract situation while simultaneously providing those injury details.
“Medically cleared, but not contractually cleared yet. Joey Porter Jr. and the Steelers still at a standoff from that perspective,” Garafolo said. “You would think for a CB1, who is the son of a franchise icon, that this would have been done by now, but not even an offer from the Steelers. They wanted to see him on the field first.
“Off the PUP list, as we mentioned, but still gonna deal with that back injury from what I understood. That’s still day-to-day thing.”
Porter is seeking a new contract entering the final year of his rookie deal. Steelers general manager Omar Khan told reporters Monday the team will continue its longstanding tradition of not negotiating with any players during the regular season.
In other words, the Steelers have until their Week 1 matchup on September 13 to sign Porter to an extension.
Joey Porter Jr. Still Not Ready to Practice?
Garafolo didn’t use the dreaded “hold-in” term or anything along those lines. But the insider appeared to allow the audience to connect the dots.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and other pundits have suggested Porter has used the back injury as an excuse not to practice over the past several weeks. That allowed the cornerback and Steelers to avoid any drama about a hold-in during training camp.
But with Porter off the PUP list, clearly, the Steelers see the cornerback as ready to practice entering the regular season. Khan confirmed that to reporters Monday.
“He got taken off [PUP],” Khan said. “Our medical staff felt like he was good to go.”
Back injuries can certainly fluctuate day-to-day, so it’s certainly possible Porter isn’t 100%. But Khan’s comments make it pretty clear that going forward, if Porter isn’t on the field, it’s likely more contractually related.
Will Steelers & Porter Reach Contact Agreement?
Garafolo doubled down on his Porter report from August 24 when he said the Steelers haven’t made an offer to the cornerback. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggested that was the case because the two sides remain far apart in negotiations.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac and other local team insiders have also reported over the past week Porter and the Steelers are not close to a deal.
The national reporters have argued Porter is seeking a deal that will make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks awarded Devon Witherspoon that title a couple weeks ago. Witherspoon will receive $33 million on an average annual basis over the next four years with the total value of his deal set at $132 million.
Dulac and other local reporters have come out strongly, stating Porter will not get that high of a contract from the Steelers.
It’s interesting Garafolo referred to Porter as a Steelers legacy player Tuesday. That fact is part of why the negotiations between the cornerback and team are complicated.
But while the son of a Steelers legend, the team released Joey Porter Sr. after the 2006 campaign. Porter’s father finished his career elsewhere as the Steelers elected not keep him after he turned 30.
This isn’t the same situation. Porter Jr. just turned 26. But while the cornerback is a beloved player in Pittsburgh, Steelers fans probably recognize better than Garafolo that that doesn’t guarantee Porter will receive his contract demands from the team.
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