The Steelers are still holding the door open for Joey Porter Jr., but the noise around his future keeps getting louder.
Head coach Mike McCarthy said Pittsburgh wants to give Porter every chance to get back on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, though nothing is settled yet for Thursday. “I hope so.
We have a plan for Joey. Hopefully he can do more.
We’ll give him a chance to get out there,” McCarthy said.
That uncertainty has only fueled the sense that something bigger may be developing behind the scenes. Multiple teams have reportedly checked in on Porter, with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys among them. Any deal would almost certainly hinge on the Steelers’ steep asking price.
McCarthy said he “hopes” the team can make some progress, but the mood around Porter’s availability has stayed cautious. “He’s in the same situation that anyone is coming off of a medical situation. I’ve said from Day 1 I’d love to see Joey playing and I’d love the opportunity to coach him,” McCarthy said.
Porter pushed back Thursday, denying that he ever asked for a trade. Even so, the lack of movement on a contract situation leaves room for a deal to make sense for both sides if the stalemate continues.
If Porter is not on the field, the Steelers appear headed toward Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr. starting against the Bengals’ high-powered attack. And that pairing may not just be a one-game fix - it could be the combination Pittsburgh leans on moving forward.
For now, the Steelers still don’t know whether Porter returns or gets moved. Either outcome would force a decision about the future, including the possibility of a franchise tag next year. But if the gap between the sides stays this wide, repairing that relationship would be no easy task.
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