The Cowboys’ gamble on Joey Porter Jr. is paying off fast.
Dallas brought Porter in from the Pittsburgh Steelers last month, and through two games he’s already looking like the kind of corner who can change what offenses want to do. He has played 61 snaps so far, and in that stretch he has been targeted just four times, according to Pro Football Focus.
Those four throws have gone nowhere. Porter has forced three incompletions, broken up two passes, and held opponents to a passer rating of 39.6. That kind of number tells the story all by itself: quarterbacks aren’t testing him much, and when they do, they’re not getting much back.
That matters for a Cowboys defense that has had real problems in coverage this season. Porter has given Dallas exactly what it hoped for when it made the move - a corner who can erase one side of the field.
His workload has been kept in check for a few different reasons. When Porter debuted in Week 4, it was his first game of the season, so the team eased him in.
He then missed Week 5 with an illness. When he came back in Week 6, he was dealing with an ankle injury, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that issue kept him limited again.
The ankle has been worth monitoring ever since. Cowboys beat writer Ed Werder reported Porter rolled it in practice leading into the loss to the Green Bay Packers. Schottenheimer later said the injury was aggravated during the game, which matched what was seen when Porter was getting treatment on the ankle before returning to action.
“Brian Schottenheimer said today that Joey Porter Jr.’s limited availability was due to his ankle for what it’s worth,” The Dallas Morning News' Joseph Hoyt said. "He said he tolled his ankle again during the game. Otherwise, he played very well."
Dallas could use more help around him, too. On the opposite side, DaRon Bland has struggled again, and the Cowboys are hoping Cobie Durant can return this week after missing four straight games with the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2. Durant was the Cowboys’ best corner through the offseason and would be a welcome boost.
The pass rush also needs to do more. Dallas’ edge rushers have produced only 2.5 of the team’s eight sacks, numbers the Cowboys simply can’t live with if they want the secondary to breathe easier.
For now, though, Porter’s early returns make the trade look justified. The next test is coming quickly, with Philadelphia on deck. Dallas will release its first injury report of the week on Thursday, which should give a clearer read on Porter’s ankle.
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