How Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Outsmarted Trade Rivals With Key Clause in Joey Porter Jr. Deal

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has once again shown his deal-making instincts, this time in the trade that brought cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dallas Cowboys aren’t sure how much Joey Porter Jr would play for them this season, which made them add a clause in the trade that might save them a valuable draft pick next year.

The Dallas Cowboys have acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade completed amid the player’s ongoing contract dispute. Porter had not appeared in any games for the Steelers this season. He was dealing with reported back and conditioning issues while seeking a long-term contract extension. The Steelers declined to negotiate a new deal during the season, leading to the trade.

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Sep 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

In exchange for Porter, the Cowboys sent Steelers, a 2027 sixth-round draft pick and a 2028 second-round draft pick. Dallas Cowboys inherits the remainder of Porter’s rookie contract. But there is also an interesting clause in the contract that might save them the 2027 sixth-round draft pick.

According to reports, the 2027 sixth-round selection only transfers to the Steelers if Porter appears on the Cowboys’ gameday roster for at least two games during the 2026 season. If Porter continues his holdout and does not play (or appears in fewer than two games), Cowboys retains the 2027 sixth-round pick. There is no similar protection attached to the 2028 second-round selection.

This clause safeguards the Cowboys against the risk of surrendering draft capital for a player who might refuse to take the field until a new contract is agreed upon. Porter is reportedly available for Dallas as early as their upcoming game against the Houston Texans, though it remains unclear whether he will end his holdout immediately.

The clause exists to protect the Cowboys from giving away a draft pick for a player who might not actually play. Joey Porter Jr. was in a contract holdout with the Steelers. He hadn’t played for them this season while seeking a long-term extension, and Pittsburgh refused to negotiate during the year. When Dallas traded for him, they took on the rest of his existing rookie contract and the real risk that he would continue sitting out until he got a new deal.

Without any protection, the Cowboys could have sent the 2027 sixth-round pick to Pittsburgh and then watched Porter refuse to play for them as well. That would mean surrendering draft capital for essentially nothing in return this season.

Jerry Jones therefore inserted the condition: the 2027 sixth-round pick only goes to the Steelers if Porter appears on the Cowboys’ gameday roster for at least two games in 2026. If he keeps holding out and never (or barely) plays, Dallas simply keeps the pick.