The Steelers got an unwelcome wrinkle on the opening day of training camp, but Joey Porter Jr.’s back issue doesn’t appear to be something that should derail contract talks.
Porter Jr. was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list after tweaking his back during Pittsburgh’s mobility workout on July 28, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. That development landed with obvious timing, since the star cornerback is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is due for an extension.
For Pittsburgh, the question is whether the injury changes anything about how the team approaches the negotiations. Based on the information available, there’s no real reason to treat Porter Jr.’s situation as anything more than a short-term setback unless the injury turns out to be more serious than it first seemed.
Back injuries can be difficult because they can linger or flare up again, but there’s no indication that’s the case here. And while the timing is certainly noticeable, there’s also nothing pointing to a scenario where Porter Jr. is using the PUP list as leverage while he waits on a new contract.
Even so, the optics aren’t ideal for the Steelers. Handing out close to $30 million per year to an injured player is not a clean look, but Pittsburgh also can’t afford to let the situation drift through the rest of the summer and into the regular season without resolution.
There’s pressure on the Steelers to move quickly. Cleveland Browns star Denzel Ward just reset the cornerback market with a two-year, $62 million extension that made him the highest-paid corner in NFL history on an average annual value basis. That number won’t sit at the top for long, either, with Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon expected to push past it with the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, respectively.
That rising market only adds urgency for Pittsburgh. Porter Jr.’s price is only going up, and while the injury complicates the picture a bit, it shouldn’t change the Steelers’ approach or slow down the timeline with his camp.
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In the middle of all that mess, Pat Freiermuth ended up making the kind of split-second move that has nothing to do with catches or red-zone targets. The Steelers tight end pulled a young child away from the fray to get the kid out of harms way, and the melee was broken up shortly after. For a team that spends camp trying to build momentum on the field, it was a reminder that sometimes the most important play of the day happens well away from the snap. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Backfield Shift Is Putting Jaylen Warren In A Tough Spot
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For Warren, the challenge is obvious: he is no longer being treated like the automatic lead option, and the early camp reps are reflecting that. The move also puts a spotlight on how McCarthy wants to structure the ground game as the week goes on, with the running back rotation suddenly becoming one of the more interesting depth-chart battles to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers May Already Be Leaning Toward An Unexpected O-Line Starter
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Anderson has reportedly handled all of the first-team reps at right guard during the first week of practice, a sign he may be moving to the front of the line for the job. The seventh-round pick from 2023 has steadily carved out a bigger role since arriving in Pittsburgh, and his development now has him in position to push for a starting spot with an eye toward becoming a full-time answer down the road. [Read more 🡒]