What happened: Pittsburgh listed Joey Porter Jr. out with a back issue for Thursday night against Cleveland. He practiced in limited fashion ahead of the designation.
Why it matters: The absence removes a regular boundary corner from the Thursday plan against Cleveland. It lands with Porter unsigned beyond his rookie deal and subject to trade calls entering Week 4.
By the numbers: Porter: 52 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception in 14 games in 2025. Drafted No. 32 overall in 2023 out of Penn State.
What to watch: Watch game-night inactives for the replacement starter and the next practice report for availability.