The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 despite missing one of the team’s most important defensive players. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. sat out for that contest due to back and conditioning issues. While Porter was able to get in limited practices in Week 2, he’ll miss Sunday’s contest due to those issues.
But if the team has its way, Porter will take the field next week. The Steelers are reportedly planning for Porter to return to action against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.
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Whether Porter actually takes the field, however, is an open question … both due to his back injury and — possibly — his contract situation, per ESPN.
But whether or not Porter actually does return is a bit more ambiguous and is connected to the star cornerback’s back injury and conditioning level.
Porter’s back, according to a source, has “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 has been considering getting a second opinion on his back.
Porter — who is in the final year of his rookie contract — missed time early in training camp due to the situation. While he was able to return to practices ahead of the regular season, Porter was deemed to be in a “ramp-up” situation thanks to a back injury and his conditioning.
Despite practicing in a limited capacity each day leading up to Week 1, Porter did not play in the contest. Similarly, Porter was able to get in limited practice ahead of Week 2. This time around, however, the team ruled him out on its final injury report. That wasn’t the case ahead of Week 1, when Porter was listed as “questionable” on the final injury report.
It’s unclear when or how the situation will resolve. If Porter is truly plagued by a back issue, then the cornerback could miss additional weeks recovering from the injury. If his continued absences are related to Porter’s contract situation, that could also cause issues, as the team doesn’t negotiate contracts during the regular season.
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If the team changes its mind, the framework for a deal is fairly obvious. In early Sept., the New England Patriots and cornerback Christian Gonzalez agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension that made Gonzalez the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Porter would — almost certainly — look to match or exceed that figure with his next contract.
Should Porter continue to sit out, a trade could wind up being the most likely outcome. The Steelers have reportedly entertained the idea, but are seeking a first-round pick in the deal, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. That ask has reportedly scared teams off.
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But Porter’s price could fall the longer the cornerback misses time. If that’s the case, a trade could wind up being the best thing for both sides.
That scenario could potentially be avoided if Porter’s back is OK and he returns to action in Week 3. That makes the upcoming week a big deal for both sides.
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