There is no doubt that the top focus of the Dallas Cowboys this offseason was to completely overhaul a defense that was rated among the worst in the NFL in 2025, and was the worst when it came to giving up points–511 in total, a franchise record. The Cowboys were aggressive in free agency, on the trade market and in the draft, and when they kick off for Week 1 on Sunday night in New York against the Giants, they will have somewhere between five and seven new starters on the unit.
But even with that turnover, there are still questions as to whether the Cowboys did enough, especially when it comes to bringing in defensive playmakers. The overall talent level is better, and new coordinator Christian Parker is installing a more varied, exotic defensive system. The lack of big-play swagger is a concern, though, which is why the Cowboys are so frequently linked to a potential trade for Raiders star Maxx Crosby–and, more recently, to Steelers star cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Joey Porter Trade Looking More Likely
There is news, too, on the Porter front, which could be of interest to the Cowboys: He and the Steelers have been unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension, a dance that has been ongoing all summer. Porter Jr. is not on the Devon Witherspoon-Christian Gonzalez level, and those two got market-setting contracts this offseason. But he is certainly on the next tier down, though the Steelers don’t see it that way.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday on ESPN: “The Pittsburgh Steelers are unlikely to have star corner Joey Porter Jr. today. My understanding, and this is something I reported with colleague Adam Schefter this morning, is he is not quite ready, his back injury is acting up. The two sides were not able last night to reach a contract extension, so a trade is now considered possible for Joey Porter. There is interest around the league, we’ll see over the next couple of weeks if it does materialize.”
Cowboys Open to Making Big Trade
That has piqued the interest of Cowboys fans and observers, of course, who have heard owner Jerry Jones repeat several times during the offseason that Dallas is open to making a “substantive” trade to boost the defense if one crops up. Adding Porter would be substantive.
A potential Porter deal was speculated upon by the folks at 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, as well as the DLLS Cowboys hosts, and now even the more reserved Dallas Morning News is wading into the Porter trade waters.
As beat writer Joseph Hoyt wrote: “For what it’s worth: when we discuss a “substantive” trade for the Cowboys, it’s not only edge rusher they’d be interested in. A playmaker in the secondary could be an option, as well. It would have to make sense, however, from a picks and contract value standpoint.”
Joey Porter Trade ‘Logical’ for Cowboys
CBS Sports, too, sees the Cowboys as a potential landing spot for Porter–first on the list, in fact. After news of Porter’s trade possibility broke, the site put together a group of teams that could make a deal for him.
The site’s Bryan DeArdo writes: “The Cowboys, who have been in spending mode since trading Micah Parsons last summer, have a considerable amount of cap space and could make a move to acquire Porter if they were inclined to do so. Making this even more logical is the fact that Jerry Jones and Steelers GM Omar Khan have a history of working out significant trades.
“Speaking of Jones, the Cowboys’ 83-year-old owner is desperate to end Dallas’ championship drought, which is now at 31 years. That, coupled with the fact that Jones loves making splashy trades, makes this scenario even more logical.”
Cowboys ‘Substantive’ Trade Talk for Star Defender Heats Up After Contract News