Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was just downgraded to questionable for Week 6’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers, an ankle injury limiting him in Friday’s practice despite being a full go on Thursday. This whole situation is raising some serious eyebrows, especially when you look at Porter’s history. This isn’t just about an ankle; it feels like there’s a bigger game being played here.
Is Porter Jr. Really ‘Sick’ or ‘Injured’? The Whispers Are Getting LOUD.
This latest ankle issue is a surprise, particularly after he was a full participant in Thursday’s practice and everyone expected him to play Sunday. Remember Week 5? Porter Jr. missed that loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because he supposedly got ill on game day. The kicker? He’s only played in one game for the Cowboys since they traded for him from the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s it. One game.
This string of absences has lit up the skeptical corners of the internet, especially with Steelers fans who’ve seen this movie before. The scuttlebutt? Folks are openly wondering if Porter Jr. is essentially holding out for a new contract. And honestly, it makes you think when you look at the timeline. He was sidelined during Steelers training camp, then the preseason, and even the first three games of their regular season. A fan on X, @yinzer_g, laid out the whole theory: “You need to be on an NFL team’s active, inactive, Injured Reserve (IR), or Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list for 6 games to obtain an accrued season in the NFL.” The post continued, “This is why he has faked a back injury, an illness and now an ankle injury. After this week, he will have fully accrued enough time this season to be an unrestricted [free agent] at the end of the year. He can just go home for the rest of the season and not have to keep doing this charade anymore.” That’s a pretty strong claim, but the pattern is definitely suspicious. After the trade, Porter Jr. himself said he was “feeling better” and ready to play in Week 4 against the Houston Texans. In his Dallas debut, he played nearly half the team’s defensive snaps, 25 of 52, which could be explained by getting used to a new team, new scheme, and getting back into game shape. But still, one game?
Stephen Jones Says He’s ‘All-In,’ But The Timing Is Everything
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones jumped on Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan to address the chatter. When asked if the team was worried Porter Jr. might be staying off the field for a new deal, Jones was emphatic. “I think he’s all in. He wants to be out there,” Jones insisted, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “He was sick, he couldn’t play last week with the flu. But he obviously played in our first game and I think he’s fired up about what he can do to help us win against the Packers.”
Sounds good, right? Except, as 105.3 The Fan’s Gavin Dawson quickly pointed out, Jones’s comments came *before* the Cowboys dropped their final injury report for the week, which is when Porter Jr. was downgraded. So, the “all-in” comments might have aged like milk in the desert. The stakes for the Cowboys are getting higher with every missed game. They’re sitting at a shaky 2-3, and their defense is in rough shape, ranking 30th in the NFL in total yards allowed. If Porter Jr. takes the field against the Packers on Sunday, he can shut down all this talk immediately. But if he sits out again, trust me, those grumblings and doubts? They’re going to explode. This is definitely a storyline to keep your eyes on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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