The Detroit Lions could be in position to land Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. if contract talks in Pittsburgh stall, according to a recent trade projection.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report listed Detroit as a likely destination in a set of bold predictions for the 2026 season. Knox wrote that the Lions would send a 2027 first-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for the young cornerback.
Porter is heading into the final season of his rookie contract. The Steelers selected him 32nd overall in 2023, and the two sides have not come close to a long-term deal.
Steelers.com’s Bob Labriola has argued that Porter might not really want a contract extension in Pittsburgh. That comment has only added fuel to trade talk as the regular season approaches.
Knox suggested Pittsburgh should move Porter rather than let him play out the year and walk.
“If things get to a point where the Steelers don’t believe they can keep Porter, flipping him for a high 2027 pick will become an option for them,” Knox wrote.
Detroit’s secondary has a clear opening after the club parted with 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold this offseason. The Lions had planned to use this year to decide whether Arnold merited a big extension.
Now they could spend the same window evaluating Porter, a player Pittsburgh has been unwilling to pay at the rate he is seeking.
“The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, could be prompted to make an aggressive move for a defensive difference-maker like Porter,” Knox added. “After missing the playoffs in 2025, the Lions are undoubtedly eager to get back to the top of the NFC North mountain. They could also use a new starter after parting with 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold this offseason.”
Rock Ya-Sin is expected to start on the outside. He is entering his eighth NFL season and his age-30 year, with 45 career starts and only seven starts over the past three seasons.
Questions remain about whether Ya-Sin can hold up for a full schedule and whether opposing quarterbacks will keep targeting him.
Roger McCreary and Keith Abney have worked outside, but both have spent most of their time in the slot. Ennis Rakestraw, a second-round pick, has been active in just eight games across his first two seasons.
That leaves Detroit thin if injuries hit. The Lions already have talent on offense and have rebuilt their defensive line. A stronger secondary could put them among the league’s better teams.
That mix of need and roster strength is why some analysts think Detroit would be willing to part with a first-round pick so close to the season.
Porter would arrive on an affordable cap number for 2026, the last year of his rookie deal. Any trade, though, would almost certainly come with the expectation that Detroit later negotiate an extension Pittsburgh has so far declined to offer.
No deal is imminent. The projection is just that — a prediction. Still, the Lions’ cornerback depth and their push to climb back in the NFC North make them a natural name if the Steelers decide they cannot keep Porter.
