Steelers make trade, send 26-year-old cornerback to Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys, looking for help in the defensive backfield after allowing seven passing touchdowns in their first three games, reached agreement with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a trade Wednesday, Sept. 30.

According to Tom Pelissero, the Steelers will send 26-year-old cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas. Porter hasn’t played this season amid a contract holdout after he reportedly turned down an offer from the Steelers this offseason that would have paid him slightly more than $27 million in 2026. 

The Cowboys are expected to be without starting cornerback Cobie Durant in Week 4 of the NFL season because of a hamstring injury.

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Porter is the son of Pro Bowl pass rusher Joey Porter, who played for the Steelers from 1999-2006.

Is Joey Porter Jr. healthy?

Porter had been battling a back injury this season that might have prevented him from playing even if he had signed a new contract. He was a full participant in walkthroughs before he was ruled out for the Steelers’ game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday.

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That means Porter might not play Sunday for the Cowboys against the Houston Texans, even if the trade is finalized before then.

Who did the Steelers get in the Joey Porter Jr. trade?

Dallas will reportedly be sending a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh.

The Steelers will get more than that, according to Pelissero — they’ll gain the freedom to focus their resources elsewhere.

“They also end the daily questions about whether Porter would take the field in a Steelers uniform again,” he wrote. “GM Omar Khan is always aggressive in the trade market, so it’s possible he could now look to add at the cornerback position as well.”

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