The Steelers may be inching toward a tricky line with Joey Porter Jr., and the biggest problem isn’t just his availability - it’s what happens if Pittsburgh tries to get tough about it.
Former Steelers quarterback and NFLPA rep Charlie Batch laid out the issue during an appearance on “Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show,” pointing back to how Porter Jr.’s situation was handled from the start.
"It starts back in training camp when the Steelers designated him with the back injury and put him on PUP," Batch said. "Fast-forward to where are now. The team is saying he's healthy... and they're now removing the back as the designation tag.
"This could potentially be a union issue only because if the Steelers try to go after his money if he cannot play, meaning fining him for conduct detrimental, they're gonna lean back on the original tag to say, 'Wait a minute, you designated him with a back.' And if that's the case, that mean they're gonna claim somebody lied and it wasn't the player."
That’s the heart of the problem. If Porter Jr. keeps missing time and Pittsburgh ever decides to fine him, the NFLPA could argue that the team’s own injury designation from camp undercuts any case against the player. Porter Jr. was put on PUP in training camp with a back issue, and that same back has shown up on the injury report the last two weeks.
There was already speculation that Porter Jr. wound up on PUP because of contract talks, with the back injury possibly playing a smaller role in the decision. But the injury has remained part of the story, and head coach Mike McCarthy said it flared up before the Week 2 game against the New England Patriots, which kept Porter Jr. out again.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on September 20 that the Steelers were planning for Porter Jr. to potentially return against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, and also said he was considering getting a second opinion on his back. Now, with that AFC North matchup only days away, there still isn’t much clarity on whether he’ll be ready, even though his back injury was removed from the first injury report of the week.
A return is possible, and if he does suit up against the 2-0 Bengals, that would be a major lift for Pittsburgh against a passing game featuring Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But it’s far from certain that Porter Jr. will be on the field at Acrisure Stadium this week.
For now, the trade market hasn’t really moved on Porter Jr., and it may never get going. Still, if he doesn’t make progress soon, Pittsburgh has to at least think about that possibility.
An extension also doesn’t appear to be on the table now that the season has started. The Steelers would be willing to let Porter Jr. play out the final year of his rookie deal and revisit things in the offseason. His side may not feel the same way.
Nothing has been resolved yet, but this feels like the kind of situation that could turn quickly.
In Other News...
Steelers Barely Survived A Bengals Game That Made No Sense
The 1978 meeting with Cincinnati was the kind of mess that can still make a Steelers fan wince decades later, a game packed with turnovers, missed chances and almost no offensive rhythm. Pittsburgh escaped with a 7-6 win, but it was hardly a clean one, even with the season context pointing to a team that could absorb ugly stretches and keep moving toward its bigger goals.
Terry Bradshaw was blunt about his own day, acknowledging how poorly he played, while the Bengals had reasons to feel like they let one slip away. Ken Andersons side had enough chances to tilt the result, but the game kept refusing to make sense, with neither offense able to find much of a foothold. In a rivalry known for tension, this one stood out because the Steelers survived more than they won. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Blockbuster Idea Puts Joey Porter And DK Metcalf In Play
Trade chatter around Joey Porter Jr. has lingered this offseason because the Steelers still have not locked the young cornerback into a long-term contract, and no move has come close to materializing. Even so, the noise has now expanded beyond Porter alone, with a CBS Sports proposal floating a much larger framework that would pull DK Metcalf into the discussion and reshape Pittsburghs roster in a hurry.
In the hypothetical, the Steelers would send Porter, Metcalf and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Detroit in exchange for a first-round selection and receiver Jameson Williams. It is only an idea on paper, but it captures the kind of high-stakes roster math that can hover around a team trying to balance present talent with future flexibility, especially when one of its best young defenders is already part of the uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face A Joey Porter Jr Decision That Could Change Everything
The Steelers are once again in the kind of roster conversation that can reshape a season before it truly gets going, with Joey Porter Jr. now at the center of a reported look at options. Cornerback is already one of the most watched spots on the roster, and any discussion involving Porter carries obvious weight because of what he means to Pittsburghs secondary and how much the team has invested in building around him.
One speculative scenario has Pittsburgh sending Porter, DK Metcalf and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Detroit for Jameson Williams and a 2027 first-round pick, a swap that would put plenty of moving parts in play for both sides. It is still just an idea, not an official move, but the fact that Porters name is even part of the conversation shows how aggressively the Steelers may be weighing long-term value against short-term stability. [Read more 🡒]