Joey Porter Jr. Unlikely to Play Sunday as Steelers Trade Rumors Swirl

The Standoff in Pittsburgh

Joey Porter Jr. is unlikely to play in the Pittsburgh Steelers season opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The young star cornerback has been dealing with a back injury, but his absence is also tied to a summer long contract dispute that has put his future with the team in doubt.

The two sides negotiated up until the day before the season began, but they remain far apart on a deal. Because Pittsburgh does not negotiate contracts during the season, the window for an extension has closed. Porter has previously requested a trade and is open to playing elsewhere. While the Steelers are listening to offers, their asking price of a premium draft pick, possibly a first round selection, has kept serious trade talks from developing so far.

The Business of Football

Porter did not practice all summer and spent training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Steelers coach Mike McCarthy noted that Porter is currently working through a ramp up stage to focus on his conditioning and readiness.

When asked about his availability for Week 1, Porter said, "I don't know. I would have to talk to the guys upstairs and my agents about that one."

The dispute centers on Porter's market value. This offseason, other top cornerbacks like Trent McDuffie of the Rams, Denzel Ward of the Browns, Devon Witherspoon of the Seahawks, and Christian Gonzalez of the Patriots all signed contracts worth more than 30 million dollars per year. The Steelers have not offered anything close to those figures, even though they extended other young players like Nick Herbig, Keeanu Benton, and Darnell Washington this offseason.

Porter remains focused on the business side of the sport. "No, I don't think so," Porter said when asked if the situation hurt his desire to stay in Pittsburgh long term. "I mean, at the end of the day it's business, and I know what that is and I got my head straight to understand that."

Next Men Up

With Porter expected to sit out, the Steelers will have to adjust their secondary. Asante Samuel Jr. is expected to see more playing time against the Falcons. Samuel joined Pittsburgh midway through last season after recovering from spinal fusion surgery.

The team also announced on Saturday that they have promoted defensive back Doneiko Slaughter from the practice squad to the active game day roster.

What it means for the next game

Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL, Sun, 13 Sep): Pittsburgh Steelers win 70%, Atlanta Falcons win 30%; projected score Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Atlanta Falcons 17. Our safest pick: Steelers to win.

Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots (NFL, Sun, 20 Sep): New England Patriots win 65%, Pittsburgh Steelers win 35%; projected score New England Patriots 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 20. Our safest pick: Patriots to win.