Stephen Jones didn’t leave much room for uncertainty when he talked about Joey Porter Jr.’s availability for Week 6.
That’s notable, because the Dallas Cowboys’ official injury report says Porter is questionable for Sunday night’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field due to an ankle injury. Still, the Cowboys’ EVP sounded convinced the cornerback will suit up.
Jones addressed the situation during his weekly hit on 105.3 The Fan, and he pushed back on any notion that Porter might be dealing with the same kind of holdout issue he had with the Steelers because of a lingering “back injury.” Jones made it sound like Porter is ready to go.
“On, absolutely. I think he’s all in.
He wants to be out there," Jones told 105.3 The Fan, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. ",He was sick, he couldn’t play last week with the flu.
"But he obviously played in our first game, and I think he’s fired up about what he can do to help us win against the Packers.”
Porter’s status matters plenty for a Dallas defense that enters Week 6 ranked No. 30 overall. The secondary has already taken another hit with starting cornerback Cobie Durant ruled out, so getting Porter on the field would be a major boost for a unit that badly needs one after last week’s disaster against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The hope in Dallas is that Porter can build on what he showed in his Cowboys debut after the club acquired him in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was then scratched at the last minute last week, missing what would have been his home debut after falling ill hours before kickoff.
The Cowboys and Packers are set to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will call the game, with Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung reporting from the sideline.
In Other News...
Cowboys May Be Rethinking Caleb Downs At The Worst Time
The Cowboys are heading into their next game against the Green Bay Packers with a notable adjustment in mind for rookie Caleb Downs, with the staff looking at using him differently and potentially sliding him back toward his original spot near the line of scrimmage. It is the kind of tweak that can say as much about where a defense is right now as it does about the player himself, and Dallas is making it with several contributors still sidelined by injuries.
Mike Pettines arrival as a senior defensive assistant adds another layer to the situation, giving the Cowboys another experienced voice as they sort through the latest version of their defensive puzzle. Elsewhere, the roster churn continues to be felt too, with Joe Milton having been signed off Dallas practice squad by the Philadelphia Eagles and now set to face his former team in an upcoming game. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Hit With Another Distraction Days Before Packers Game
With the Packers game looming, the Cowboys are dealing with another bit of fallout from their Week 5 win over Tampa Bay. The NFL announced its official disciplinary decisions and fined defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia $11,111 for a facemask penalty tied to unnecessary roughness in the second quarter against the Buccaneers.
The play cost Dallas a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down for Tampa Bay, adding a little more irritation to a game already full of physical edge. It is the kind of detail that does not change the upcoming matchup on its own, but it does underscore how quickly the margins can become part of the conversation for a team trying to keep its focus on Green Bay. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cowboys Punters Tragic Death Brought An Emotional Family Reflection
Former NFL punter Kasey Redferns death has left a heavy mark on the football community, and for Cowboys fans it adds another somber note to a career that briefly ran through Dallas and several other NFL stops. Redfern, a Wofford product, spent time with the Jaguars, Chargers, Panthers, Browns, Lions, Cowboys and Falcons, a reminder of how many locker rooms he touched during his journey through the league.
Lauryl Redfern had shared updates as he battled brain cancer, offering a window into a fight that had become deeply personal for the family. His passing closes a difficult chapter, but it also underscores how quickly a players NFL story can become something much bigger than football, especially when the people closest to him are left carrying both the memories and the grief. [Read more 🡒]