The Dallas Cowboys completed a trade Wednesday night for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., acquiring the 26-year-old defender who had grown frustrated over stalled extension talks in Pittsburgh. Dallas does not plan to lock him up right away.
The Cowboys sent a 2028 second-round pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round selection to the Steelers in the deal, according to multiple reports. Porter Jr. arrives in the final year of his rookie contract and is expected to compete for snaps opposite DaRon Bland.
“Sources: The Cowboys will not be immediately extending Joey Porter Jr. contract,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported. “Plan is to have him play and make an impact on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations in the NFC. Contract will take care of itself from there. JPJ gets a fresh, new start.”
Porter Jr., selected 32nd overall in the 2023 draft out of Penn State, signed a four-year deal worth roughly $9.6 million. He is scheduled to count about $4.9 million against the salary cap this season and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if no new agreement is reached.
In three seasons with Pittsburgh he appeared in 47 games and made 41 starts. He recorded 165 tackles, 31 passes defensed and three interceptions while often drawing the opponent’s top receiver.
The Steelers never reached a long-term deal despite offseason discussions. Porter Jr. sat out training camp and the first three games of 2026 while listed with a back issue, though he practiced later in the week before the trade.
“Here’s why the Steelers are now trading Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas: Pittsburgh never made a serious effort to extend Porter Jr. during the offseason, then made a last-minute push before the season that went nowhere,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote.
“They hoped to hide behind their policy of not negotiating during the season, but that wasn’t something JPJ was willing to accept. The Steelers ultimately backed themselves into a corner and had no choice but to trade him. In the end, the #Cowboys are the beneficiaries.”
Spotrac lists Porter Jr.’s projected market value at a four-year extension worth $109.6 million. That figure would place him among the higher-paid corners if he produces at a high level in Dallas.
The Cowboys secondary has dealt with injuries early this season, including a hamstring issue for Cobie Durant. Adding Porter Jr. gives the defense another experienced starter as the team tries to improve a unit that has ranked near the bottom of the league in total defense.
Dallas has struggled in recent years to get lasting value from big cornerback contracts. The team gave Trevon Diggs a five-year, $97.6 million extension before the 2023 season. Diggs missed 31 regular-season games over the next three years and was released late in the 2025 season after failing to regain his earlier form.
Bland received a four-year, $90 million deal before the 2025 season. He has missed time and faced consistent coverage struggles since signing, even though he ranks among the highest-paid corners in the league.
Porter Jr. is the son of former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, a four-time Pro Bowl selection. The younger Porter measured 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds at the combine and ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash.
He joins a Cowboys team that has already traded with Pittsburgh for wide receiver George Pickens and offensive tackle Broderick Jones in the past 18 months. Those moves reflect an ongoing effort to reshape the roster under owner Jerry Jones.
Whether Porter Jr. earns a lucrative second contract will depend on his play over the remaining weeks. Dallas holds Super Bowl hopes in the NFC and views the addition as a chance to strengthen the secondary without an immediate long-term commitment.
