FRISCO, Texas -- The Cowboys are trading for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr., sending a 2027 sixth-round pick and 2028 second-round pick back to Pittsburgh.
Porter, 26, was a second-round pick by the Steelers out of Penn State in 2023 and has played in 47 career games, starting 41. In three seasons, he's tallied 165 tackles, 31 pass breakups and three interceptions.
The Cowboys have been dealing with injuries in their secondary to start the season, and at the cornerback position, have seen Cobie Durant (hamstring) and Shavon Revel (knee/ankle) pop up on the injury report. With the addition of Porter, Dallas gains a high-level starter on the outside.
Throughout the course of the offseaosn, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones has hinted multiple times that he would be willing to trade sunbstantive draft capital for an impact player on defense. After their Week 3 loss to the Ravens on Sunday, Jones said on his Tuesday radio show that Dallas was monitoring the trade market for potential additions.
"I'd just say we're right on top of it," Jones said. "We're very aware of the moving parts out here, we should be. And communication is a big part of that. It's a big part of that. Communication at all levels, at my level, at Stephen's level, and the scout's level. We all have contacts, and this is a time when you really can have discussions that could be productive. The answer to your question is yes, there's conversations going on."
Those conversations have now led them to Porter, who has been inactive for the first three games of the season in Pittsburgh but has been a full participant in practice this week as the Steelers face the Browns on Thursday Night Football, even though he was ruled out. Porter's injury was listed as non-injury related/conditioning/back.
The Cowboys will practice on Thursday and Friday before traveling to Houston on Saturday ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the Texans on Sunday. Depending on when Porter arrives in Dallas, and based on the Cowboys' assessment of where he is physically, will determine how quickly he sees the playing field.
According to NextGenStats, Porter allowed 35 receptions on 66 targets in 2025 for 412 yards. He did not allow a touchdown, and also recorded an interception. Quarterbacks averaged a 66 passer rating when throwing Porter's direction, and opposing offenses averaged -0.07 EPA/target against him.
The trade for Porter marks the third trade that the Cowboys and Steelers have completed together since May of 2025, beginning with the George Pickens trade, where Dallas sent Pittsburgh a third-round pick ahead of the 2026 season. In August, the Cowboys acquired OT Broderick Jones and a fourth-round pick in exchange for third- and sixth-round picks.
Porter is heading into the final season of his rookie contract. He was in contract negotiations with the Steelers over the offseason, but the two sides could not come to an agreement before Pittsburgh's organizational deadline on contract negotiations, which is the beginning of the season. Time will tell if the Cowboys and Porter come to an agreement on an extension at some point.
For now though, Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker gets a young player that's started his career well and still has upside to tap into. Parker has worked with similar physical, tall and long-armed corners in his previous stops like Pat Surtain and Quinyon Mithcell. Could Porter be the next in line in Parker's development resume?
