The Dallas Cowboys took a big swing in an effort to address their ailing secondary late Wednesday night when they agreed to a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for disgruntled cornerback Joey Porter Jr. In exchange for Porter, the Cowboys gave up a 2028 second-round pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round pick, which is a pretty steep price to pay when considering the circumstances surrounding the talented defensive back.
Regardless, Porter will immediately come in and bolster Dallas’ defense, but it is worth noting that he has been dealing with a back injury, which was among a number of reasons why he has yet to take the field this season. And yet, now that he is with the Cowboys, Porter seems intent on finding his way back on the field as soon as possible.
Joey Porter Jr. Set to Practice for the Cowboys Immediately After Trade
Porter found himself engaged in a contract standoff with the Steelers over the offseason that carried into the beginning of the new campaign. Pittsburgh has generally refused to negotiate new contracts with players once the regular season gets underway, so it seemed like Porter was simply going to have to play out the final year of his rookie deal.
And yet, whether it was due to his aforementioned back injury or his unhappiness with his contract situation, Porter has not taken the field yet this season. That is obviously going to change with the Cowboys, even though the team isn’t interested in immediately signing the former second-round pick to a new contract.
The main question surrounding Porter’s status now that he’s in Dallas is just how serious his back injury is. According to a recent report, it doesn’t sound like that big of an issue, because Porter is already at the Cowboys’ facility and is planning on taking the field for practice with his new teammates.
New Cowboys CB Joey Porter Jr. is in the building and will be practicing today with the team,” Jane Slater of NFL Network shared in a post on X.
Joey Porter Jr. Aiming to Suit Up for the Cowboys in Week 4
Considering how banged up the Cowboys are at the cornerback position, getting Porter on the field right away in Week 4 would be huge. Once he’s ready to play, he should slot in right alongside DaRon Bland, giving Dallas one of the top boundary cornerback duos in the league when both guys are healthy.
Porter obviously has some work to do when it comes to ramping himself up for his first live-game action of the season, so the Cowboys aren’t going to push him if he isn’t ready to go. It seems like the goal is for him to play right away in Week 4, though, which will make Porter’s first action at practice for Dallas on Thursday quite an intriguing storyline to follow.
Cowboys Make Immediate Joey Porter Jr. Decision After Steelers Trade