Joey Porter Jr. Returns to Practice

Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is returning to practice on Sunday in full pads after missing Friday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He sustained a left ankle injury last week in practice and had spotty participation ever since the injury.

Joey Porter Jr. suffered the injury last Saturday and was seen having the injury wrapped. But he did not practice on Sunday. Then, Porter Jr. ended up only being limited on Wednesday after practicing in full on Tuesday, indicating that he was unlikely to play. Now, that is passed, and with a job open for the starting cornerback spot, this obviously gives some of the gap between the rookie and Levi Wallace.

Porter Jr. did not participate in team activities on Wednesday. That rose alarm bells. With only three preseason games, Porter Jr. will now have to capitalize on the next two, as long as he is healthy. It seems he is putting himself in a good position there. But he will have to play catch up in order to make a push for the starting role in week one over the veteran in Wallace.

Tre Norwood (right calf), John Lovett (undisclosed), Keanu Neal (undisclosed), and Damontae Kazee (left ankle) are did not play as well. But Neal and Kazee are practicing. Norwood and Larry Ogunjobi (undisclosed) are not practicing. New injuries Keeanu Benton (ankle), Duke Dawson (knee), and Nick Kwiatkoski (shoulder) are not practicing.