The Steelers’ training camp injury picture took an unexpected turn Tuesday, and Joey Porter Jr. was the name nobody saw coming.
Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan opened camp by saying Jalen Ramsey and Donte Kent would begin on the physically unable to perform list. A few hours later, Porter Jr. was added as a late surprise, giving the Steelers an even thinner secondary as camp gets rolling.
What makes the move stand out is that neither Khan nor head coach Mike McCarthy mentioned Porter Jr. when they talked through the team’s early injury situation. That’s why this addition caught so many people off guard.
Porter Jr. is also eligible for an extension that could pay him more than 30 million dollars per season, and the Steelers have made clear they’re interested in getting something done. But a deal has not come together yet, and it’s difficult to see this PUP move as being tied to contract business. Porter Jr. had already taken part in a “hold-in” during OTAs, which only adds to the uncertainty around his status.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported that no injury details were shared with the media on Tuesday, though Porter Jr. was seen riding an exercise bike on and off during OTAs.
For now, there’s no clear reason to panic. The Steelers haven’t revealed what, if anything, is bothering him. But when the team takes the field for its first practice Wednesday at Saint Vincent College, it will do so without two of its top defensive backs.
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