The Dallas Cowboys have been a popular trade destination for Pittsburgh Steelers players the past couple years. On Tuesday, it sounded like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would really like to acquire another Steelers star — cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
While making his weekly radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones strongly suggested the report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday that the Cowboys have made an inquiry into Porter’s availability was true.
“We’re right on top of it. We’re very aware of the moving parts out here,” said Jones. We should be, and communication is a big part of that,” said Jones. “It’s a big part of that. Communication at all levels, at my level, at Stephen’s level, and the scout’s level. We all have contacts, and this is a time when you really can have discussions that could be productive.
“The answer to your question is, yes, there’s conversations going on.”
Jones tried to walk back the answer a bit, but he only appeared to do that to avoid any punishment from the league.
“Not specific to the player you just mentioned,” concluded Jones. “Trying to avoid tampering here, folks.”
Porter is potentially available for trade as he continues to miss games for the Steelers. Officially, the cornerback sat out Week 3 because of his conditioning. Porter missed all of training camp on the PUP list with a back injury and had only practiced in limited fashion before Monday.
The cornerback is also a pending free agent who wanted a new deal from the Steelers before the regular season started. The two sides, though, were unable to agree on terms for an extension.
Cowboys Pursuing Trade for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.
The Cowboys always seem to have themselves linked to potential blockbuster trades. That’s been particularly true for defensive stars over the past year or so.
But Jones’s answer to a Porter question Tuesday pretty much confirmed the Cowboys are not only interested but pursuing Porter.
Now, it’s not clear how serious Dallas has pursued the Steelers cornerback. All Jones confirmed was that they have talked to the Steelers about the 26-year-old.
Schefter reported the Steelers are open to a trade involving Porter but added that the price is high.
“The Steelers would be willing to listen to trade offers for Porter, according to sources, but they would want a strong compensation package if they were to deal the fourth-year star,” wrote Schefter on Sunday.
There’s quite a bit of uncertainty about what Porter might be worth on the trade market. Because he’s a top cornerback in the NFL, he could be worth a first-round choice. But some pundits have doubted whether the Steelers would be able to demand a first-rounder for Porter when they didn’t view him worthy of contract north of $30 million annually.
In May 2025, the Cowboys acquired wide receiver George Pickens from the Steelers for a 2026 third-rounder. The two teams made another trade involving former first-round offensive tackle Broderick Jones in late August this year.
Will Steelers Trade Porter?
With each passing week where Porter isn’t playing, the Steelers trading the cornerback becomes more likely. But there are also potential signs Porter could return to play for Pittsburgh this fall.
Porter practiced fully for the first time Monday. Granted, it was a walk-through, but the Steelers are already preparing for their Week 4 matchup Thursday night.
When Porter spoke to the media toward the end of last week, he denied requesting a trade. The cornerback also said he saw himself returning to play this season. While Porter didn’t specifically say he would play for the Steelers, that seemed to be the implication.
A trade certainly isn’t out of the question. But it still seems just as likely Porter at least spends the rest of the 2026 campaign in Pittsburgh.
Jerry Jones Responds to Cowboys Potential Trade Interest in Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.