Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is on track to get back on the field in short order, with head coach Mike McCarthy saying Porter will return to practice on Tuesday and begin a “ramp-up period” this week.
McCarthy said the plan is to ease Porter back in before moving him closer to a full return next week.
“Anybody that comes in here for the first time, there’s a ramp up-type process to it. And that’s what we’ll look for with Joey today,” McCarthy said.
That timeline gives Porter some breathing room before the Steelers’ first game against the Atlanta Falcons. The team also has an extra practice scheduled next week, which could allow Porter to be back practicing as early as next Tuesday.
For now, Porter will go through the same return-to-play protocol the Steelers use with players coming back from injury before he’s fully folded back into the mix.
“That’s why I have ramp up. He’s been working with the medical people.
There’s definitely a process and there’s an understanding of what he was going through there with the injuries. There’s a process that every one of these players has gone through as far as ramping up before you go full speed on the field,” McCarthy said.
Porter’s contract situation remains unresolved. The Steelers have continued to wait him out, and general manager Omar Khan said Monday the team will not negotiate a contract with him during the season, setting September 13 as the deadline.
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