Sending a 2027 sixth-round draft pick and a 2028 second-round draft pick, the Dallas Cowboys acquired disgruntled cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 1, 2026, as the fourth-year defender enters the final year of his rookie contract.
Stephen Jones Details How the Cowboys Negotiated the Trade Price
Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones revealed that the team spent significant time negotiating the deal before reaching an agreement with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Initially, the asking price from Pittsburgh was higher than Dallas was willing to surrender. As talks progressed, the Steelers lowered their demands to the eventual package of two draft choices.
Early on the price was a little hefty for us, then it got to a point where we could deal with it.
Stephen Jones, Cowboys Executive V.P.
Dallas factored the possibility of Porter leaving in free agency after the season into their valuation. Jones noted that if the cornerback departs, the team projects receiving a 2028 compensatory pick that offsets the loss of their second-round selection.
We had to have that trade make sense if Joey left after this year. That’s why the 2 in ’28 matches up with a compensatory pick. If he did leave we’d probably get a 3 or a 4 for him and get that back for Joey in ’28 when that 2 is in place. So it made a lot of sense. It protected us.
Stephen Jones, Cowboys Executive V.P.
Before the trade materialized, Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan engaged in contract discussions with various members of the 2023 draft class, including Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington, and Keeanu Benton, while talks with Porter’s representatives stalled.
As the season opener approached, Porter acknowledged the challenge of removing his emotions from the situation. Earlier in his career, the cornerback appeared in 47 games with 41 starts for the franchise.
Contract Stalemates and Injury Background in Pittsburgh
The trade follows months of friction between Porter and the Steelers regarding a contract extension as he entered the final year of his four-year rookie deal selected out of Penn State in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Porter missed all three games of the 2026 season for Pittsburgh while dealing with a back issue and conditioning concerns.
Veteran teammate Jalen Ramsey pushed back against placing all the blame for the messy parting on the player. Ramsey pointed out that the franchise also made deliberate choices during the standoff.
The Steelers chose which route they wanted to go, as well. It’s not all on Joey. I know it’s easy for people to wanna be mad at Joey. … But it’s a business decision.
Jalen Ramsey, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback
Following Porter’s departure, the Steelers suffered a 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, dropping their record to 2-2. First-year coach Mike McCarthy noted after the contest that he never truly had the opportunity to coach the defensive back. The secondary subsequently struggled against the Cincinnati Bengals, where opposing receivers found openings against the shorthanded defensive unit.
Jerry Jones Sets High Expectations Following the George Pickens Precedent
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones compared the acquisition to the trade that brought wide receiver George Pickens from Pittsburgh to Dallas prior to the 2025 season. Pickens delivered a Pro Bowl debut year with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
That’s pretty high expectations, but you have to have them to make a deal like this.
Jerry Jones, Cowboys owner
Dallas defense coordinator Christian Parker described Porter as a boundary eraser who takes away opposing targets. Over his first three seasons, Porter recorded 31 passes defended and three interceptions across 41 starts.
Status for the Upcoming Matchup Against the Houston Texans
The Cowboys face the Houston Texans in Week 4, and coaching staff members are evaluating whether their new defensive back can take the field immediately despite his recent back trouble.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said CB Joey Porter Jr. is trending in the right direction to possibly play Sunday, but they need to see how he gets through today.
Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys coach
