The Joey Porter Jr. drama has ended with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But now, the team is in a bind. It doesn’t have a lot of cornerback depth, especially with Jamel Dean set to be sidelined for potentially a couple games because of an ankle injury.
But Pro Football Focus’s Bradley Locker had a potential solution — another trade for a cornerback.
On Wednesday, Locker named the Steelers one of six potential fits for Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum. Locker, though, seemed to suggest the Steelers were the best fit, listing them first on the list of six teams.
“In the first year of a three-year, $48 million extension, McCollum is another defender the Buccaneers could look to shed,” wrote Locker. “The Steelers could reunite McCollum with Jamel Dean after trading away Porter.”
The Buccaneers signed McCollum to a 3-year, $48 million extension last September. The deal included $35.4 million guaranteed.
He’s started every game for Tampa Bay since the beginning of the 2024 season. McCollum posted 65 combined tackles, six pass defenses and one interception in 13 games last season.
Steelers Named Trade Fit for Buccaneers CB Zyon McCollum
The Steelers already added a Buccaneers cornerback this week in Sean Murphy-Bunting. Pittsburgh signed the Super Bowl-winning defensive back to their active roster off the Tampa Bay practice squad.
McCollum would be a bigger addition, though, given that he is not only on Tampa Bay’s active roster but a starter. In four games this season, McCollum has posted 16 combined tackles with four pass defenses.
As Locker mentioned, the Steelers could reunite the 27-year-old Buccaneers cornerback with Jamel Dean. McCollum and Dean started together in Tampa Bay each of the past two seasons. During 2024, the Buccaneers finished 15th in net yards allowed per pass attempt.
The Steelers signed Dean this past offseason to a 3-year, $36.75 million contract.
Tampa Bay selected McCollum at No. 157 overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He earned three starts as a rookie during his 13 games. The cornerback started nine contests in 2023 and then became a regular in the lineup two years ago.
During his first season as a starter, McCollum had 82 combined tackles, 17 pass defenses and two interceptions.
Steelers CB Depth Without Joey Porter Jr.
The Steelers appeared to be deep at cornerback entering the regular season. But that was assuming Porter returned from his back injury.
Instead, Porter used the back ailment as leverage against the Steelers to orchestrate a trade to the Dallas Cowboys.
Dean suffered an ankle injury in Week 4 versus the Cleveland Browns. It doesn’t sound like Dean will go on injured reserve, but expectations are he will miss a couple games.
Without Dean and Porter, the Steelers could start Asante Samuel Jr. and rookie Daylen Everette at cornerback versus the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Jalen Ramsey is also an option to slide back outside with Brandin Echols playing more in the slot.
Trading for McCollum makes sense because it would give the Steelers another starting outside option. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 199 pounds, McCollum is also a big corner like Porter. Samuel is 5-foot-10 and struggled against the big Cincinnati Bengals receivers in Week 3 for the Steelers defense.
The Buccaneers could be sellers at this year’s NFL trade deadline because the team has started the season 0-4. The Steelers will face the Buccaneers after they play the Colts in Week 5.
Steelers ‘Could’ Make CB Trade to Replace Joey Porter Jr.: Analyst