In the pantheon of 2026 talked-about Dallas Cowboys trades for defensive stars, it seems that Joey Porter Jr. of the Steelers is in the process of passing up Jordyn Brooks for the No. 2 spot on the list, with Maxx Crosby next in line at No. 1. We have heard plenty of Cowboys trade chatter throughout the summer–well, the winter, too–fueled in part by winks and insinuations from owner Jerry Jones, and for the most part, that chatter has fizzled out over time. Crosby has been the dominant figure but Brooks, the Dolphins linebacker, has been a solid second.
And now it is Porter’s turn, it seems. Porter is a talented corner, a position at which the Cowboys have a clear need, and also a disgruntled one. He is said to want a hefty contract from Pittsburgh, worth something in the $30 million per year range, and has not played this season–though whether that is because of injury or holdout can be debated.
‘No Movement’ on Cowboys Trade for Joey Porter Jr.
On Wednesday at ESPN.com, insider Jeremy Fowler offered a new updates on where the Cowboys might stand with Porter, who is said to have interest from a handful of teams, most notably the Lions. The gist from Fowler: Nothing doing, at least not yet.
Wrote Fowler: “The Cowboys have inquired about Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. But there was no movement as of Wednesday morning, and Dallas doesn’t seem eager to relinquish major capital to secure Porter just yet. (It owns just six picks in 2027, due to previous trades for key players.) Dallas believes it could use Porter as a prolific boundary corner. Porter has a trade market, but his desire for a new contract — and the rising costs of a position that’s now well above $30 million per year — complicates matters.”
Steelers Ready to Move On?
It’s hard to blame the Cowboys for their reluctance to hand out another defensive contract, because they have DaRon Bland on a $90 million deal, handed out big a extension for Quinnen Williams and brought in Rashan Gary on a restructured two-year, $32 million contract this year.
All three have underperformed, so adding another contract for a guy they’d first have to make a trade to acquire would probably be unwise, hitting the Cowboys in both future flexibility and in draft assets.
The view from Pittsburgh, fort what it is worth, is clear: Folks around the Steelers are open to giving up Porter, and suggest Jones wants Porter, as evidenced by his assertion on Tuesday that he does not want to talk about a Porter trade publicly because of tampering concerns. As host Chris Mueller said on Pittsburgh radio this week: “Jerry Jones wants Joey Porter Jr. Do you want the Steelers to give him to them?”
Cowboys Rumored Trade for Joey Porter Jr. Gets New Update