The Detroit Lions will look to improve their record to 3-1 when they pay a visit to the Carolina Panthers this Sunday evening, but they’ll be shorthanded once again.
The Lions had an opportunity to make a much-needed improvement to the secondary, as disgruntled cornerback Joey Porter Jr. had been looking for a change of scenery from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Porter is now with a new club, but it’s not the Lions; he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. However, the interest on the part of Detroit was legitimate, in the words of head coach Dan Campbell.
Dan Campbell Confirms Detroit Lions Had Interest In Former Steelers Cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Traded To Cowboys
On Friday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that the club had interest in acquiring Joey Porter Jr. from the Steelers, but ultimately lost out when the Cowboys swooped in and snagged him.
According to Campbell, GM Brad Holmes was in on Porter Jr., but ultimately wasn’t able to swing a deal.
“Brad has been on it for a while, and that was ongoing,” Campbell said. “Everything’s gotta align right, you know. And the Cowboys did what they needed to do, but we were very much in it.”
When asked if the club still has plans on making an upgrade to the struggling secondary, Campbell said that Holmes is always looking for reinforcements, and they will come if they make sense for them.
“Just like any year man, it’s non-stop,” he said. “Brad is constantly looking to upgrade the roster at every position. If we can find someone that we feel fits us and can help us, and the value is right, we will.”
Joey Porter Jr. Felt “Disrespected” By Steelers
After being acquired by the Cowboys, Porter, who is in the final year of his contract with a salary cap hit of just under $4 million, admitted to feeling undervalued and disrespected by the Steelers in their contract negotiations, leading to his holdout.
“Definitely, definitely,” Porter said. “It was a hard process, a lot of ups and down. Definitely felt disrespected and undervalued. But that’s old news now. That’s how I look at it. I’m onto new beginnings and new chapters. That’s how I’m looking at it.”
Dan Campbell Reveals Lions Were Chasing Joey Porter Jr. Before Dallas Acquired Him