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The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 2 facing uncertainty in their secondary as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. missed practice for a second consecutive day on Thursday with a hamstring injury, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported. Porter exited Sunday’s season-opening win over the New York Jets and has not participated since.
Head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the issue after Week 1, calling it tightness in Porter’s hamstring, and expressed optimism Tuesday that the cornerback would be available for the Steelers’ home opener against the Seattle Seahawks. However, two consecutive days of missed practice now cast doubt on that optimism.
The Steelers’ injury report points to several concerns. Along with Porter, safety DeShon Elliott (knee), defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (knee), and veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward (rest) were also non-participants on Thursday. Elliott, who is dealing with an MCL sprain, has already been ruled out for multiple weeks. Harmon has also been declared out for Sunday.
At the same time, outside linebacker Nick Herbig (hamstring) was a full participant for the first time since suffering an injury in the preseason, and offensive tackle Calvin Anderson (illness) also returned to full work. Star pass rusher T.J. Watt, who rested on Wednesday, returned as a full participant in Thursday’s practice.
Porter’s potential absence would significantly impact Pittsburgh’s defensive structure. The 2023 first-rounder has become a fixture in the Steelers’ cornerback rotation, allowing flexibility for Jalen Ramsey to move between outside duties and safety responsibilities.
Without Porter, the team will likely lean heavily on veterans Ramsey and Darius Slay, both of whom played every defensive snap in Week 1. Brandin Echols, the team’s primary slot corner, could be forced into expanded outside reps after filling in for Porter against the Jets.
The Steelers signed Jabrill Peppers this week to help reinforce a safety group already thin due to Elliott’s injury. If Porter is unavailable, Peppers will likely see more action alongside Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark, giving Pittsburgh few options to rotate personnel. That scenario would leave the secondary tasked with handling a Seahawks offense that features wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, one of Geno Smith’s top passing targets.
Tomlin and the Steelers have recent history to lean on in managing soft tissue injuries. Last season, wide receiver George Pickens missed three games with a strained hamstring, and the team is generally cautious with recovery timelines. Friday’s final practice and walkthrough will be important in determining Porter’s Week 2 availability.
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