The cornerback missed practice again Thursday and insists his absence has nothing to do with a future deal.
Joey Porter Jr. wants to clear something up. The cornerback has sat out practice for the past two weeks with an ankle injury, and he says that is the whole story, not any kind of leverage play over a future contract.
Porter missed practice again on Thursday, continuing the pattern that has fueled speculation about his status. He pushed back directly on any suggestion that money talks were behind the absences, framing it strictly as a physical issue he is working through.
Teams dealing with young, talented players on rookie deals often face chatter about extensions long before anything gets done, and that noise tends to attach itself to any unexplained absence. Porter seems aware of that dynamic and wanted to shut it down before it grew into a bigger distraction.
For now, the ankle remains the issue to watch. How quickly it heals will determine when Porter gets back on the field, and that return will say more about the situation than any denial could.