Porter Jr. Unsure on Week 1 Without Deal

Joey Porter Jr. was back at Steelers practice on Tuesday after a back injury kept him on the physically unable to perform list through most of camp, but he would not promise to play Week 1 without a new deal. Asked if he would face the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13 on his expiring rookie contract, Porter told reporters, "I don't know. I got to talk to the guys upstairs and my agents about that," via ESPN's Brooke Pryor and NFL.com.

That answer is the entire Week 1 story in Pittsburgh right now. Omar Khan will not negotiate once the season starts, so the opener is a hard deadline for both sides.

For sure, then maybe

Porter walked the answer back in the same session and still left the door open. He said "for sure" about playing, then added "maybe," per NFL.com. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Wednesday that camp talk included a possible trade request or extended sit-out after weeks without a formal offer, a message Porter's camp read as Pittsburgh wanting him to play out the final year of the rookie deal.

The 2023 second-round pick out of Penn State is due about $3.9 million in base salary in 2026, per NFL.com. Keeanu Benton, Darnell Washington, and Nick Herbig from that same draft class already landed extensions this offseason. Broderick Jones was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Porter said he was "ecstatic" those teammates got paid and that coaches and players are "really on my side" about the business side of the league.

"It's been tough, not going to lie," Porter said, per NFL.com. "It's my first go around [with] this, but I mean, it's been also great because I have all my guys with me." He also reminded everyone he is a hometown kid whose family still lives in Pittsburgh.

Ramp-up before the Falcons

Mike McCarthy called Tuesday a "ramp up" for Porter after the corner was taken off PUP on Sunday to make the initial 53-man roster. Porter stressed the back injury was real and that he is still getting back fully, day by day, after missing August. Khan has said he hopes Porter finishes his career in Pittsburgh while holding the longstanding no-in-season-talks line.

Top corners elsewhere are clearing $30 million a year. Fowler noted the projected franchise tag for 2027 sits near $23 million, well under that market. For other early roster hits already on Smacktok, see Isiah Pacheco parked on IR and George Kittle traveling for Australia. Porter's version is louder: practice is back, Week 1 is not locked, and the clock against Atlanta is already running.