The Washington Commanders are among four teams that are reportedly “in the mix” to trade for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and it looks like they will have to outbid the Dallas Cowboys to secure his services.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN named the Cowboys as potential suitors for Porter on Sunday, September 13. The following day, Easton Butler of Packer Report reported that the Commanders, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are also strongly interested.
“Asking Price is Two 1s. Lions front runners, Commanders after that,” Butler wrote. “Vikings in the mix too, alongside another NFC East team.”
Presumably Butler was referencing Dallas as the other team in Washington’s division that is currently hunting a deal for Porter. Fowler also noted the Lions’ interest in his report, along with potential fits between Porter and other teams that Butler did not mention.
Joey Porter Jr. May Be in Middle of Holdout With Steelers
Porter sat out Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons with a back injury, but his absence could relate to his ongoing contract negotiations to at least some degree.
Media members recently asked Porter if he would play for Pittsburgh in 2026 absent a new deal, to which the cornerback answered neither yes or no, but said he would need to speak with his agent about that.
As it turns out, he didn’t sign a new agreement before the season began and also ended up sitting out the first game. That could be a coincidence, but also perhaps not.
A former second-round draft pick out of Penn State in 2023, Porter is 26 years old and has one season remaining on his $9.6 million rookie deal. Spotrac projects he is worth $70.3 million on a new three-year contract, which is roughly $23.4 million per season.
Commanders Never Really Replaced Departed CB Marshon Lattimore
The Commanders focused intently on improving their defense over the offseason, drafting linebacker Sonny Styles out of Ohio State with the No. 7 overall pick and adding multiple prominent pass-rushers in Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson, among others.
However, Washington did little to address the cornerback position beyond signing nickel DB Amik Robertson to a short-term deal. The Commanders cut former star CB Marshon Lattimore during the spring and continue lacking high-end talent at the position.
That said, Washington knows how difficult it was to build through a draft in which the team only had two picks across the first four rounds. Thus, considering surrendering even one first-rounder for Porter might give the team pause, while two such assets is an obvious overpay.
Fowler noted that Dallas faces a similar problem if it hopes to make a move for Porter.
“Dallas has given up some of its draft capital,” Fowler wrote. “The team has seven selections in 2027, but four of those are in the sixth and seventh rounds. Porter would likely cost at least a second-round pick, possibly a first. The Cowboys owe the better of theirs or Green Bay’s first-round pick to the New York Jets, and their third-round selection to the Steelers.”
Commanders, Cowboys Butt Heads in Trade Push for Expected $70 Million CB