McCarthy Confirms ‘Business Conversations' Happening Between Steelers, Porter

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to play the Atlanta Falcons this week. However, they still have a few things to figure out. That includes working things out with Joey Porter Jr., who is seeking a contract extension. While recent reports indicated that the Steelers haven't yet offered Porter an extension, head coach Mike McCarthy mentioned there's ongoing dialogue between the sides. 'There's definitely business conversations going on,' McCarthy said Monday via the team's YouTube channel. That doesn't mean a deal will get done. It also doesn't necessarily mean that the Steelers have presented Porter with an offer yet. However, that's certainly not bad news. It's better than when McCarthy said the two sides were at an impasse. It sounds like the door is still wide open for Porter to get his extension before Pittsburgh's first regular-season game. That's the deadline to get anything done, though. The Steelers don't negotiate contract extensions during the season. Omar Khan has already stated that won't change this year, either. Perhaps Porter is practicing again because conversations between him and the team are progressing. He spent all of training camp on the PUP list with an apparent back injury. That was likely just a cover for a hold-in, though. That left the Steelers with a decision to make when they cut their roster down to 53 players. If Porter remained on the PUP list, then he would miss the first four games of the year. However, if they activated him and he still chose not to practice, that could've created more drama. The Steelers chose to take Porter off the PUP list, though, and he has practiced since then. However, he didn't rule out skipping regular-season games. Therefore, it didn't seem like he was giving up on getting an extension. The Steelers have finalized deals at the last minute in the past. Pittsburgh figured things out with Heyward right before its first game last season. Maybe something similar will happen with Porter. McCarthy's update makes it seem like the two sides are still trying to find a solution. Hopefully, they come to an agreement that ends this saga and allows the team to focus solely on competing for a Super Bowl.