The Pittsburgh Steelers traded standout cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round selection, the team announced Thursday.
Porter was inactive in each of the Steelers' first three games and had already been ruled out for Thursday's contest against the Cleveland Browns due to a back injury and conditioning. The 26-year-old's contract situation also impacted his availability; Porter said earlier this season that he wasn't sure about playing without a new deal.
The Steelers and Porter, who's in the last year of his rookie deal, couldn't successfully negotiate a new contract. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said that Porter and the team were at an impasse before the start of the regular season.
The Cowboys don't plan to extend Porter's contract immediately, sources told NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Porter will be at the Cowboys' facility Thursday to complete his physical, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. Dallas will decide whether its new corner will play against the Houston Texans on Sunday after checking his fitness, Wolfe adds.
The Steelers rewarded other members of their 2023 draft class with extensions, including Darnell Washington, Nick Herbig, and Keeanu Benton, over the summer. Porter is Pittsburgh's second 2023 draftee to be traded to Dallas after former first-round pick Broderick Jones, who was dealt in August.
The Cowboys and Steelers have now completed three trades in the last two years. Dallas also acquired receiver George Pickens from Pittsburgh for a pair of draft picks in May 2025.
The Cowboys' depth at cornerback took a hit during their loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Shavon Revel appeared to sustain a right knee and ankle injury while attempting a tackle, and Cobie Durant remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. The club also rosters DaRon Bland and first-round rookie defensive back Caleb Downs, who plays nickel as well.
The Porter trade marks yet another move by a Cowboys team desperately looking to fix its defensive unit. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has made several moves to add various defenders going back to last year. Dallas acquired Kenny Clark as it traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in August 2025 and later struck a deal with the New York Jets for Quinnen Williams. Rashan Gary also landed with the Cowboys in March.
So Cowboys have traded for five veteran defensive starters in the last 14 months: Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams, Dee Winters, Rashan Gary and now Joey Porter.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 1, 2026
The team hired new coordinator Christian Parker in January after ranking last in defensive EPA/play in 2025. Dallas ranks 30th in total defense this season and has allowed 27.3 points per game. The Cowboys also haven't logged an interception through their first three matchups.
