Joey Porter Jr. seems ready to send message to Steelers after Omar Khan comments

While speaking with reporters on Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan revealed that the Steelers "expect" unsettled cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to participate in practices after the Steelers activated Porter from the physically unable to perform list. 

Porter initially landed on that list after he supposedly aggravated a back injury on the first day of training camp. It sounds like that back injury could continue bothering him if he remains in the final year of his contract ahead of the Steelers' Week 1 home game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13.

Joey Porter Jr. still hasn't gotten an offer from the Steelers?

"Medically cleared, but not contractually cleared yet," NFL insider Mike Garafolo said about Porter's status during a Tuesday appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" program, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "Joey Porter Jr. and the Steelers still at a standoff. ...You would think for a [CB1] who is the son of a franchise icon that this would have been done by now, but not even an offer from the Steelers." 

Porter reportedly is not looking to reset the market for players at the position, but it remains unclear how much money he wants attached to an extension. Mike DeFabo of The Athletic is among those who have noted that "the salaries for top cornerbacks have skyrocketed recently" and that five cornerbacks now make more than $30M per season.

As for Joey Porter Sr., he earned a Super Bowl ring while featuring for the Steelers from 1999 through the 2006 season. 

Meanwhile, a Monday update indicated that the New England Patriots and Christian Gonzalez are "getting close" to agreeing to an extension. Gonzalez is expected to become the new highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, and what he receives presumably could impact what Porter Jr. wants from the Steelers. 

Joey Porter Jr., Steelers situation "still a day-to-day thing?"

"They wanted to see him on the field first," Garafolo added about the Steelers and Porter. "Off the PUP list, but still gonna deal with that back injury from what I understood. That's still a day-to-day thing."

Also on Monday, Khan said that the Steelers' policy of pausing contract talks with players once a regular season gets underway "is going to remain in place." If Porter's alleged hold-in continues through this week, the Steelers may be without the 26-year-old for at least the Atlanta game.