Joey Porter Jr. wants paid. The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t open their checkbook until Porter takes the field first. Following up his Monday night reporting, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo clarified the “impasse” that exists between player and team.
“They’re at an impasse because the Steelers want to see Joey Porter Jr. on the field first,” Garafolo said Tuesday on Good Morning Football. “He’s on the PUP list. They wanna see him on the field first before they kickstart negotiations.”
Garafolo repeated his belief the Steelers have yet to offer Porter a contract. A signal that the two sides aren’t anywhere close to reaching a deal.
Porter has been on the Active/PUP list since the Steelers reported to training camp with a back injury he suffered during the team’s mobility test, though many believe that was an excuse for Porter to avoid practicing and declaring an official “hold-in.” Porter did little to nothing during spring workouts, which reportedly upset the coaching staff.
Under a new coaching staff and reworked scheme, seeing how Porter fits likely matters more to the team than it would have if the old regime had returned. The more time Porter misses, the less chance coaches have to work with him, a point Mike McCarthy implied yesterday, and the greater risk of Porter getting off to a rusty start. It may be the difference for Pittsburgh’s hesitation here as opposed to recent extensions with hold-ins T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward.
In the era of true holdouts, the Steelers had a policy that a player must first report for the team to talk contract. That was the case with Hines Ward, who briefly held out ahead of the 2005 season. Once he reported to training camp, the Steelers soon rewarded him with a four-year extension.
Garafolo noted that Porter’s retort would point to the deal EDGE Nick Herbig received in the offseason well ahead of training camp. Herbig’s extension occurred on June 2. The Steelers were well into their offseason program, giving them a look at Herbig’s fit in the defense. It was also seen as a good-faith move.
For Porter to hit the field, he’ll need to be activated off the PUP list. That means he’ll need to declare himself healed from his back injury and assume the risk of practicing without a new contract. There’s always the chance he gets hurt, which could dash his hopes of becoming the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback.
Porter will have to decide before the regular season. Even if he takes the field for the opener, Pittsburgh’s self-imposed deadline of contract negotiations will have passed.
