Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. unlikely to make season debut Sunday; trade still possible
Pittsburgh's top cornerback is trending in the right direction but appears set to miss another game against the Bengals, with his long-term future still uncertain
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Joey Porter Jr. appears unlikely to make his season debut Sunday against the Bengals, though the Steelers' top cornerback is trending in the right direction to be back on the field soon.
Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero): Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. appears unlikely to make his season debut Sunday against the Bengals. But he is trending in the right direction to be back on the field soon — with a trade still a possibility. More in The Sweep: https://tompelissero.substack.com/p/week-3-insider-notebook-new-york-giants-los-angeles-chargers-jaxson-dart-justin-herbert
Porter has yet to play this season, and the latest word from Tom Pelissero's insider notebook is that he'll likely sit out another week in Cincinnati. The encouraging part for Pittsburgh is that he's progressing well and a return appears close.
The added wrinkle is that a trade remains a possibility for the cornerback, whose long-term future with the Steelers has been a subject of speculation. That uncertainty hangs over what would otherwise be a straightforward injury-recovery timeline.
For now, the Steelers will continue to lean on their other cornerbacks against a Bengals passing attack led by Joe Burrow. Porter's eventual return would give Pittsburgh a significant boost in the secondary, but the trade chatter means his status bears watching beyond just this week's game.