Painted into a corner: Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. left with bad hands in contract ‘impasse’
TribLIVE.com • • sports
Key Points:
- The Pittsburgh Steelers and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. are at a stalemate over contract extension demands, with the team unwilling to meet his asking price and refusing to negotiate during the season due to team policy.
- Porter is currently sidelined, citing a back injury, but sources suggest his absence is primarily due to contract disputes rather than health issues, creating a complicated situation for the team.
- The Steelers face difficult choices: keep paying Porter while he remains inactive and occupies a roster spot, break their no in-season negotiation policy, trade him for a low return, or risk damaging public relations and team dynamics.
- Trading Porter is unlikely to yield a high draft pick given his contract status, and cutting him could lead to grievances with the players' union due to his injury designation.
- Both sides are in a deadlock with no perfect solution, potentially forcing the Steelers to either compromise or continue a costly standoff that could impact the team's performance and Porter’s career.
