Late Wednesday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers put an end to their long drawn out battle with Joey Porter Jr., shipping him to the Dallas Cowboys. And while the trade was rooted in the Steelers and Porter’s inability to come to terms on a long term contract, it’s now possible the 26-year-old cornerback may have a different mindset with his new team.
Why is Joey Porter Jr. Willing to Play for Cowboys Without an Extension?
At least according to what sources have told longtime NFL insider Ed Werder, Porter will be willing to play for the Cowboys without an extension in place. He missed the first three games of the 2026 season with the Steelers with a back injury, but most believe his absence had far more to do with his contract, especially since Pittsburgh, unlike other organizations, refuses to negotiate with a player once games start being played.
Similar to how his former and now current teammate again George Pickens decided to acquiesce and suit up for the Cowboys upon his trade, Porter would do so due to Dallas being his preferred destination. That said, it will remain to be seen how long Porter will be okay in waiting, which is notable since Pickens, traded ahead of the 2025 season, has still yet to receive the mega deal he covets from Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, even after putting career-highs in receptions, yards and touchdowns in his debut campaign in Dallas.
Dallas May Want to Determine What They Have in Porter Before Awarding Him
The Cowboy may also want to find out what kind of player they acquired in Porter. The son of former Steelers great Joey Porter Sr., who was selected by his hometown Steelers in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, has been dealing with a back ailment, granted the severity is in doubt. And most importantly, Porter’s up and down first three seasons led to Pittsburgh’s hesitation to make him one of the highest paid at the position.
Porter is coming off recording 52 tackles with one sack and one interception in 14 games in 2025, a drop off from the 70 tackles he registered in the season prior. But to his credit, he did clean up his main weakness of being too heavily penalized. Overall in three years, Porter has accumulated 165 tackles, with 120 credited as solo and picked off three passes in 41 starts across 47 games. He has yet to be named a Pro Bowler.
Joey Porter Jr. Willing to Adjust Mindset After Trade to Cowboys