The Cowboys have decided to swing big, and the move lands right in the middle of the Eagles’ path to another NFC East crown.
Dallas is finalizing a trade for Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., according to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero. ESPN’s Jane Slater reported that the deal sends a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh.
It’s a clear win-now play from a team that hasn’t exactly looked settled through the first three weeks. The Cowboys are 1-2 after a crushing loss to the Ravens in Week 3, when Dallas gave up a 27-yard catch with seconds left and then watched Baltimore finish the job with a game-winning 56-yard field goal.
Porter arrives as part of an effort to clean up a shaky secondary, but the contract piece matters too. He and the Steelers were unable to reach an agreement on a new extension, and there’s no guarantee he signs a new deal in Dallas.
The former Penn State standout is being added to a defense coached by first-year Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who previously served as the Eagles’ DBs coach.
Porter, a 2023 second-round pick, has already built a reputation as one of the NFL’s better young corners. In three seasons with Pittsburgh, he put up 165 tackles, 31 passes defended and three interceptions.
He also did not play in the Steelers’ first three games of the 2026 season while dealing with a back injury, though the contract situation appears to have been part of the picture as well.
Dallas had already made a few smaller moves earlier in the week, signing defensive backs to the practice squad. This, obviously, is a much bigger statement. Jerry Jones has never been shy about making an in-season splash when he thinks the moment calls for it, and the Cowboys acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams before last season’s trade deadline.
Still, Porter doesn’t solve everything. The Cowboys’ run defense has been the real sore spot, sitting second-worst in the NFL with 539 rushing yards allowed through three games.
For the Eagles, though, the message is simple: the team that has been the biggest threat in the division just got better. Dallas is trying to chase down Philadelphia for the NFC title and the automatic playoff berth that comes with it.
And the next chapter is already scheduled. The Eagles will head to Dallas for a Thanksgiving matchup.
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