Joey Porter Jr. traded by Pittsburgh Steelers to Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms on a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The Cowboys announced the move on Wednesday night. 

Multiple NFL insiders, including The Ringer's Tom Pelissero, reported that Porter is headed to Dallas for draft compensation after a prolonged contract standoff with the Steelers. NFL Network's Jane Slater reported the Cowboys are sending a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh, and NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Dallas does not plan to sign Porter to an extension immediately. 

The fourth-year cornerback has been managing a back injury amid a contract stalemate with the Steelers. Porter was ruled out for the Steelers' game on Thursday against the Cleveland Browns with a not injury related/conditioning/back designation after being a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. He was a full participant on Monday and Tuesday. Porter has not appeared in a game so far this season. 

The 26-year-old and the Steelers failed to reach a contract extension before the franchise's Week 1 negotiating deadline, leaving Porter to play out the final year of his rookie deal. Porter was a second-round pick in 2023 out of Penn State University. 

Porter is coming off his best season as a pro. In 2025, he tallied 14 passes defended and one interception. He will provide a boost to a Cowboys secondary that is dealing with multiple injuries. This season, Dallas is allowing 27.3 points per game. The Cowboys play the Houston Texans (0-3) on Sunday, and it was not immediately known whether Porter would make his debut this weekend. 

Porter is the son of former NFL linebacker and Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter Sr. 

Pittsburgh (2-1) and Dallas (1-2) have now traded with each other three times since 2025. The Steelers traded wide receiver George Pickens to the Cowboys in May 2025 and then traded offensive lineman Broderick Jones to Dallas in August 2026.