Mike McCarthy admits steelers are stuck in Joey Porter Jr. situation

Mike McCarthy admits steelers are stuck in Joey Porter Jr. situation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Pittsburgh Steelers remain without Joey Porter Jr., and coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged Monday that the team has reached an “impasse” with its standout cornerback as the regular season approaches.

Porter remains on the physically unable to perform list after aggravating a back injury during a mobility workout on the first day of training camp. His absence comes at a complicated time, with the cornerback entering the final year of his contract and positioned for a potential extension.

Porter attended portions of OTAs and mandatory minicamp but did not participate in drills during sessions open to reporters. He has remained around the team throughout training camp, frequently watching practice from the sideline alongside veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey.

Ramsey was activated from the PUP list Monday, leaving Porter’s status as one of Pittsburgh’s biggest remaining questions.

Asked when Porter would need to return to practice for the coaching staff to feel comfortable playing him in Week 1, McCarthy acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding the situation.

“I learned this in my early years as a head coach: You have to separate the business and football,” McCarthy said. “Sometimes it’s easier than others. This is a challenge for both Joey and us because we’re first-year staff. We’ve seen them play, compete against Joey.”

Porter has emerged as an important piece of Pittsburgh’s secondary since entering the NFL, and his combination of size, physicality and coverage ability gives the Steelers a potential difference-maker on the perimeter.

But the longer he remains sidelined, the more questions Pittsburgh must answer about its defensive backfield entering Week 1.

The Steelers have experience with Ramsey available again, but getting Porter healthy and back into football shape would give McCarthy’s defense significantly more flexibility.

For now, Pittsburgh is balancing two issues at once: Porter’s health and his contractual future.

Until progress is made on at least one of those fronts, the uncertainty surrounding one of Pittsburgh’s most important defenders will continue.

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