Joey Porter Jr. is still trying to get his back right, and now the Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback is weighing a second opinion as he works toward a return this season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Steelers are expecting Porter back in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the injury is still very much in play. One source told Schefter that Porter’s back "flared up when he's tried to go full speed, and they haven't been able to get it where it needs to be."
Porter had been expected to finish his ramp-up this week, but that plan hit another snag when he left the field with a trainer on the second day of practice. He was ruled out for Week 2 against the New England Patriots because of the back issue.
There’s also a business layer to this situation. Schefter noted that Porter is pursuing a contract extension and had already hinted earlier in the offseason that he would not play without one. The Steelers, though, do not negotiate during the regular season under their long-standing policy.
Schefter also said Porter is "fired up" about facing the Bengals in Week 3 if he’s able to go. Even so, there hasn’t been much progress on the field. Porter has not practiced fully at any point this offseason, and head coach Mike McCarthy has said he’ll need to get conditioned before he can play in-season.
The uncertainty around Porter keeps growing. Reports have suggested he wants out of Pittsburgh, and there hasn’t been real momentum toward getting him back on the field. McCarthy also has not even pointed to the injury as the reason Porter has been missing time.
For now, a second opinion may be the next step as Porter looks for a path back. Whether that leads to a Week 3 return is another question entirely. He hasn’t gone full speed since last season, and it’s difficult to see the Steelers putting him through three straight days of practice and sending him out there while he’s still sorting through medical options.
Maybe Porter does suit up against the Bengals. Maybe he doesn’t. At this point, the bigger story is the back injury and the search for answers.
In Other News...
Steelers Hit With Two Costly Absences Ahead Of Patriots Trip
The Steelers head into their trip to New England dealing with a pair of absences that change both sides of the ball. Joey Porter Jr. is out while contract negotiations continue, and Michael Pittman Jr. will miss the game because of a foot injury, leaving Pittsburgh thinner at cornerback and taking away one of its receiving options before facing the Patriots.
Germie Bernard now looks set for a bigger role with Pittman Jr. sidelined, which gives the rookie a chance to make himself part of the conversation a little earlier than expected. For a Steelers team trying to stay steady on the road, the timing of these absences only adds to the challenge of getting through a tricky AFC test. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Wont Like What Joey Porter Jr. Might Be Worth
The contract picture around Joey Porter Jr. has become one of the more uncomfortable talking points in Pittsburgh, because the Steelers and the young corner still have not reached an extension agreement. For a team that has invested in developing Porter into a key part of its secondary, the lack of a deal has naturally led to trade speculation, even if nothing has been publicly finalized.
What may sting most for Steelers fans is the sense that the return would not match the talent or the expectations surrounding him. Early talk suggests Pittsburgh might only be looking at a second- or third-round pick if it ever got serious about moving him, which is a far cry from the kind of haul some around the league may have once imagined. For now, the situation is still unresolved, and the longer it drags on, the more it invites questions about where Porter fits in the Steelers' future. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Secondary Faces A Different Kind Of Test This Week
A.J. Brown landing on injured reserve changes the shape of Pittsburghs Week 2 assignment, but it does not make the Patriots passing game any easier to sort out. Mike Vrabel said Brown worked from multiple receiver spots, and with him out, New England is expected to spread those looks around, using players such as Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Romeo Doubs in different ways.
For the Steelers secondary, the challenge becomes less about tracking one featured target and more about adjusting to a receiver rotation that can shift from snap to snap. Browns absence removes a familiar centerpiece, but it also leaves Pittsburgh preparing for a more varied New England attack, which can be its own kind of test for a defensive backfield. [Read more 🡒]