Joey Porter Jr.’s long contract dispute in Pittsburgh has ended with a trade to Dallas, giving the Cowboys an immediate answer to a depleted secondary and giving the Steelers additional future draft capital.
Dallas acquired the former Steelers cornerback for a 2027 sixth-round selection and a 2028 second-round pick. Porter, a 2023 second-round choice, had not played through the first three games because of a back injury, but he could be available for the Cowboys’ Sunday matchup with the Houston Texans. His most recent NFL appearance came in Pittsburgh’s wild-card loss to Houston in January.
The move closes an offseason-to-September impasse over a new contract. Porter had sought an extension, but Pittsburgh and the player were unable to bridge a major gap in both valuation and deal structure. By the time the Steelers prepared to face the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, it had become clear that a long-term resolution was not coming and that Porter wanted a change of scenery.
Pittsburgh had initially been believed to be pursuing first-round-level compensation. Instead, the club accepted a package built around a future second-rounder after the situation carried into the regular season. The Steelers now hold eight picks in the 2027 draft in addition to the extra 2028 second-round choice.
Dallas adds a needed cover corner
The Cowboys had been searching for help in the back end after injuries strained their defensive roster. Cornerback Cobie Durant is expected to miss at least another game with a hamstring injury, while Shavon Revel Jr. has been managing knee and ankle problems. The safety group has also been hit hard: Jalen Thompson is on injured reserve with a hamstring issue, P.J. Locke is sidelined by plantar fascia trouble, and Malik Hooker was limited in practice while recovering from a fractured forearm.
Porter gives Dallas a long, physical outside defender with a stronger track record in man coverage. Since entering the league in 2023, quarterbacks have completed 56% of throws with Porter as the closest defender, the 13th-best figure among defenders with at least 100 targets.
That skill set could fit Christian Parker’s early approach as defensive coordinator. Dallas has used man coverage on 24.8% of its defensive snaps, above the league-wide rate of 23.2%. Porter has been in press alignment on 30.6% of his career snaps, compared with a 24.1% league average for cornerbacks, though his overall play has been more effective in man than zone concepts.
The urgency is evident in Dallas’ early defensive results. The Cowboys are among three NFL teams still without an interception, opponents have completed 72.6% of their passes against them, and the club has only two sacks in three games. Rather than pay the steep price for a premier edge rusher, Dallas is betting that tighter coverage can create more opportunities for its pass rush.
The trade was not made with an extension already in place, and Dallas is not expected to negotiate a new deal with Porter during the season. He is positioned to reach free agency after the year alongside other Cowboys eligible for the market, including George Pickens and DeMarvion Overshown. Dallas could use either the franchise tag or transition tag to retain a player, but can apply only one such designation.
Porter shares agent David Mulugheta with Pickens, Overshown and several other Cowboys. Mulugheta also represented Micah Parsons during the contract standoff that preceded Parsons’ trade from Dallas to Green Bay last year. Unless Dallas changes course, Porter’s path to top cornerback money will likely depend on what he produces during the remainder of this season and his value next spring.
Steelers turn to their younger depth
Porter’s departure removes a talented young starter from Pittsburgh’s secondary, but the Steelers have played more zone under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and have a possible replacement already receiving meaningful snaps.
Rookie third-round pick Daylen Everette stepped in during the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals when Jamel Dean left to have an injury evaluated. When Dean returned after halftime, Everette remained on the field, replacing Asante Samuel Jr. and lining up opposite Dean.
At 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, Everette presents a more comparable physical profile to the 6-foot-2 Porter than the smaller, faster Samuel. Pittsburgh could also use its growing collection of future selections to add more secondary help through another trade.
Dallas takes on some risk with a player coming off a back issue and seeking a major payday, but the deal gives the Cowboys a potential difference-maker at a position of immediate need. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, receives flexibility for the future but gives up a young cover corner without securing the first-round return it had once appeared to seek.
