Steelers rule out CB Joey Porter Jr. for Thursday night vs. Browns due to back
Pittsburgh will be without its top cornerback when it hosts Cleveland on Thursday night, with Joey Porter Jr. ruled out because of his back issue
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled out cornerback Joey Porter Jr. for Thursday night's game against the Cleveland Browns, sidelining their top cover man because of the back issue that has nagged him this week.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Steelers have ruled out CB Joey Porter Jr. is for Thursday night's game vs. the Browns due to his back issue.
The decision leaves the secondary thin for a division matchup that carries real stakes early in the AFC North race. Porter has been the club's most reliable outside corner, and Pittsburgh's Thursday night meeting with Cleveland now forces the coaching staff to lean on its depth at the position against a Browns offense that has gotten cleaner quarterback play this season. The quick turnaround of a short week gave the staff little time to manage his back, and the club ultimately chose caution over pushing him through.
Porter's status was the headliner of the Steelers' Wednesday injury report as they finalize the plan for the prime-time spot. With the back still bothering him, Pittsburgh will roll with its other corners and a rotation that will have to hold up if Cleveland tests that side of the field. The decision was announced in time for the team to adjust, but it is a meaningful piece of news for a rivalry game being played on a condensed schedule.