NFL trade rumors: Cowboys seemingly have eyes on Steelers' Joey Porter Jr.

Porter will miss his third straight game as Dallas, Detroit and other teams reportedly explore trade possibilities

Sep 27, 2026 at 1:02 pm ET • 3 min read

For the third straight week, the Pittsburgh Steelers won't have Joey Porter Jr. on the field. The star corner is inactive for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

There's been so much drama between Porter and the Steelers that multiple teams are now checking in to see if Pittsburgh would be willing to part ways with its top cornerback. The Dallas Cowboys are one of several teams that "have begun making inquiries" about Porter's availability, according to ESPN. The Detroit Lions are also reportedly checking in on his availability.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said since July that he'd be willing to make a trade for the right player on defense, and he's been hinting at a move since then. After the Cowboys beat the Commanders in Week 2, Jones sounded like someone who might be soon be pulling the trigger on a trade. 

"There is nothing more dangerous than an old man with money," Jones said on Sept. 20, via the Star Telegram. 

This is Jones we're talking about, so he could have been talking about anything with that statement. Two days later, he was asked to clarify his quote, and he left no doubt that he might be ready to make a trade. 

"We have the makings of a team here that I'm that optimistic about," Jones said on Sept. 22. "I'd work to improve it in a minute financially."

Over the past 12 months, Jones has proven that he's not afraid to pull the trigger on a big trade. Not only did Dallas make a huge splash by acquiring Quinnen Williams from the Jets back in November, but the Cowboys also made separate deals to acquire both Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark. 

On paper, the biggest weakness on Dallas' defense is probably at corner, which is why making a deal for Porter would make plenty of sense. 

Porter is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he wants to secure an extension before the start of the 2026 season. The two sides weren't able to finalize a deal and because the Steelers have a policy of not negotiating contracts once the season starts, that created a standoff between Porter and the team. Porter has missed all three games this season with a back injury that would probably heal much faster if the Steelers gave him a new contract. The Steelers reportedly offered Porter a deal that would have paid him about $27 million per year, but he turned it down. 

The 2023 second-round pick likely wants a deal that would put him closer to the top of the market, and that's at $33.75 million per year thanks to New England's Christian Gonzalez. There are currently seven corners making at least $30 million per year, and you can bet Porter would like to be in that group, at a minimum. 

If the Cowboys, Lions, or any other team makes a trade for Porter, they'll have to budget for a new contract. It's not surprising that the Lions have contacted the Steelers because their defense has been struggling through two weeks. The Lions have given up the second-most points in the NFL through two games and cornerback is their most glaring weakness on defense, so it would certainly make sense for them to call the Steelers and make a big offer. 

Earlier this week, Porter said he "definitely" sees himself playing for the Steelers at some point this season, but now, that doesn't seem like such a lock. It seems unlikely that the Steelers would trade him to another AFC team, but Dallas and Detroit certainly both seem like plausible landing spots if Porter ends up getting dealt.