Steelers won't negotiate with CB Joey Porter Jr. during season - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — Deadlines often spur action, and there's still a hard one for the Pittsburgh Steelers' negotiating window.

Amid fruitless extension talks with starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Steelers general manager Omar Khan said Monday the organization's policy of not negotiating contracts during the regular season remains in place. That means the two sides have until Pittsburgh's Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13 to reach an agreement.

«We won't talk publicly about the negotiations per se, but Joey knows how we feel about him, and I still hope Joey finishes his career here,» Khan said. "… Our policy is going to remain in place, but I'm not going to talk about negotiations."

Porter was activated off the physically unable to perform list at the roster cutdown deadline Sunday night, avoiding a mandatory four-game absence. But even though Porter, who was put on the list with a back injury he aggravated during a mobility workout on the first day of training camp, has been deemed able to practice by the team's medical staff, there's no certainty he'll return to the field.

«In the next couple of weeks, not just Joey, but anyone that we feel is healthy and available to us, we expect him to practice,» Khan said. «He got taken off [PUP]. Our medical staff felt like he was good to go.»

While Porter's participation is uncertain, Khan provided positive updates on several injured players including wide receivers Michael Pittman. Jr. and DK Metcalf and safety Jaquan Brisker and said he expected them to be available for Week 1. One player who won't be playing against Atlanta is veteran safety DeShon Elliott, who was placed on injured reserve at the roster cutdown deadline on Sunday.

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