The Browns got a little breathing room in the middle of their Week 4 prep, and it came from a move that sent one of Pittsburgh’s top young defensive backs out of the division.
Pittsburgh is trading cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys, a deal that removes him from Cleveland’s immediate path and, at least for now, takes away a player the Browns would have had to deal with twice a year. Porter had already been ruled out for Thursday night with what was described as a “back injury,” but the possibility still existed that the Steelers could work things out with him and keep him around for the rematch in Week 8. That’s off the table now.
The timing matters for Cleveland because the Browns’ passing game appears to be coming into its own with rookie first-rounder KC Concepcion and rookie second-rounder Denzel Boston. With Porter gone, Pittsburgh’s cornerback group now leans on Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr. on the outside, while Jalen Ramsey is expected to work in the slot, where he’ll likely see a lot of tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
Porter’s departure also leaves the Steelers thinner if injury strikes one of those starters. The reported return for Pittsburgh is a second-round pick and a conditional sixth-round pick, a price that underscores how much Dallas wanted to land the fourth-year defender.
For Cleveland, the move changes the schedule picture in a simple way: the Browns won’t have to line up against one of the league’s most talented young corners twice a season anymore. Porter faced Cleveland six times in his career and posted 27 total tackles and two passes defended in those games.
There’s also a familiar family thread here. Porter’s father, Joey Porter senior, spent eight seasons as a linebacker for the Steelers from 1999 to 2006.
Because the Cowboys and Browns play in different conferences, the teams usually meet only once every four years through the divisional rotation. Cleveland hosted Dallas to open the 2024 season, so the next regular-season meeting would normally be in 2028, unless the teams get matched up in 2027 based on their records this season.
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Browns Rookies Are Giving Deshaun Watson A Reason For Real Optimism
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Watson pointed to the learning curve the rookies are facing as they adjust to NFL defenses, but he also sounded encouraged by how quickly the chemistry is forming. For a Browns team getting ready for Thursday Night Football against the Steelers on Oct. 1, the rookie development matters because it may end up giving Watson a more reliable group to lean on as the season moves deeper into October. [Read more 🡒]