Will Joey Porter be available for Steelers in Week1?

Week 1 has finally arrived, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still have one pressing question to answer before taking the field against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday: will Joey Porter Jr. play without a new contract?

The Steelers have been “ramping up” Porter after the talented cornerback sat out of practice for over a month on the physically unable to perform list with a back injury. He was unfortunately limited throughout practice this week and was deemed questionable to play on Sunday.

Some have speculated that Porter’s absence has less to do with the back injury and more to do with a lack of progress in contract negotiations. Considering the timing of Porter’s setback and the possibility of a holdout, this makes complete sense.

Still, Porter will have to play eventually, even without an extension. The Steelers don’t negotiate contracts midseason, which means Porter will have to play out his rookie deal if an agreement isn’t reached before kickoff.

Porter’s back injury will likely result in him being inactive in Week 1. But it won’t be long until this potential excuse runs out, and he’ll be forced to make a decision: play without a long-term deal or hold out in hopes that Pittsburgh will break from tradition.

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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Will Joey Porter be available for Steelers in Week1?