The New York Jets have the ammo to pull off a blockbuster trade.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz revealed that Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr “is a name multiple teams around the NFL have wondered about as a potential trade target, per sources. JPJ is in the final year of his rookie contract, and with where the CB market is, teams have wondered if Pittsburgh could ultimately be open to a move with the Pro Bowl-caliber corner.”
JPJ is in the final year of his rookie contract, and with where the CB market is, teams have wondered if Pittsburgh could ultimately be open to a
Mike Luciano of The Jet Press said the Jets should jump into the sweepstakes.
“Brandon Stephens is an uninspiring CB1, D’Angelo Ponds has been hurt all summer, and Azareye’h Thomas hasn’t shown much as a pro. Porter could be a major improvement,” Luciano stated. “However, would it really be the worst idea in the world for Darren Mougey to at least ask about him? He would be the best cornerback on the roster from the second he touches down, and he’d be the best non-Sauce Gardner corner the team has had since DJ Reed.”
A Few Problems With This Type of Move
The Steelers are in win-now mode. They have a 42-year-old starting quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who has claimed this will be his final NFL season. Why would Pittsburgh trade one of their best players right before the season?
That doesn’t make sense. The only way they would do that is if the other team overpaid. To acquire a player like Porter, the Jets would, at a bare minimum, have to include a future first-round pick and likely more.
The Jets do have the ammunition to pull off a move like that. They hold three first-round picks in 2027. However, just because you have the assets to make a move doesn’t mean you should.
The Jets need to hold onto their treasure chest of assets for a future quarterback, not a cornerback.
Whichever team trades for Porter would not only have to give up picks, but then they’d have to pay him.
“Porter is going to want more than $30 million per season,” Luciano wrote.
There are five cornerbacks in the NFL who make at least $30 million per year. Porter, when he receives his new deal, would become the sixth.
With All Due Respect…
Porter, 26, hasn’t been named an All-Pro nor a Pro Bowler. Across his first three seasons in the pros, Porter has just three interceptions.
If you are going to pay an iron price for a player, he better be a difference-maker, especially when it comes to turnovers. So he doesn’t catch interceptions; he has zero forced fumbles, zero fumble recoveries, and zero defensive touchdowns.
Porter is a very nice player, but he won’t change the foundation of a defense. The Jets would be better served letting someone else pay that asking price to acquire his services.
Don’t get me wrong, the Jets have more question marks than answers at corner, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Most teams don’t enter every season with every hole on the roster filled, and the Jets are no exception.
The Jets and Porter, quite frankly, aren’t on the same timeline either. It just wouldn’t make any sense whatsoever.
Jets Pushed to Make Blockbuster Trade for 26-Year-Old Star