Joey Porter Jr.
Will Joey Porter Jr. ever play a game for the Steelers again?
The Steelers were at an impasse with Joey Porter Jr. weeks ago. I’m not even sure where they are with him now, but it’s beyond impasse. The veteran cornerback has already been ruled out for a second straight game with what is surely a mythological back injury, as seemingly implied by his own agent.
In case you didn’t see last night, Porter’s agent made a post on social media. In it, he said that he would love nothing more for his client and Penn State teammate Jaquan Brisker to take the field again. If he has a minor back injury and that’s the only thing preventing him from playing, such a post would be very strange. And if his back injury were more serious, he would be going to doctors. There is no back injury, but everyone has to dance around it and pretend there is at least half-heartedly.
Fortunately, I don’t—at least I don’t think I have to. I guess we’ll find out. This is the only tactic Joey Porter has at his disposal, partially because of the team he plays for. The Steelers don’t negotiate contracts in-season, and they don’t guarantee money beyond the first year except to franchise quarterbacks and T.J. Watt. Porter isn’t either of those, so he obviously didn’t get an offer he believed he deserves. Neither does almost everybody else from the Steelers, at least in terms of guarantees, because they refuse to hand out deals the way almost the entirety of the rest of the league does.
It looks smart when those players don’t work out and the Steelers can release them without too much damage. But for players like Joey Porter Jr., who would easily receive two or three years guaranteed on the open market, it’s a problem. The question is how big of a problem that is, and whether there is resolution that involves him playing for Pittsburgh again.
In theory, Porter can attempt to claim a back injury all year, never play, and collect his paychecks. Along the way, he’ll accrue a season and would be able to hit free agency next year. Unless Pittsburgh puts the franchise tag on him, which they would likely do, even if only to trade him. But could they trade him within the next few weeks?
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin resigning.
We’re already into the regular season. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.