The Cowboys may have found another defensive building block in Joey Porter Jr., and the early evidence points to Dallas getting the better end of the deal with Pittsburgh.
Porter has only played three games for the Cowboys, but he’s already looked like the kind of corner they were hoping for when they sent a 2028 second-round pick to the Steelers for a player in a contract year. The move carried real risk, but so far it’s paying off in a big way.
According to Pro Football Focus, Porter has allowed the lowest completion percentage among all corners with at least 75 coverage snaps in 2026, sitting at 22.2%. Quarterbacks have largely stayed away from him, and when they have thrown his way, he’s done a strong job of taking opposing WR1s out of the picture.
The numbers back that up. Porter has been targeted nine times this season and has given up just two catches for 10 yards. He’s also forced several incompletions and has allowed a 39.6 passer rating when targeted.
Even with that kind of production, Porter isn’t satisfied.
“Two little 5-yard outs or whatever. I’m pissed about it," Porter Jr. told The Athletic's Jon Machota.
"As a DB, you never want to give up anything. I really hold myself to a high standard when I’m on the field.
I definitely don’t want to give up any passes to anybody I don’t think I should be giving up passes to.”
The trade also looks even better when you consider what Dallas would have been dealing with otherwise. Without Porter, the Cowboys would have been left leaning on DaRon Bland as their CB1, and the source material points out that his coverage this season has been rough enough that asking him to handle the opponent’s top receiver every week would have been a bad setup.
Porter’s arrival has eased that burden. At 26, he’s given Dallas a true top corner and made life easier for Bland and the rest of the secondary.
It also changes how the Cowboys can use Shavon Revel Jr. and Cobie Durant, who can now be treated as depth pieces instead of being forced into every-down roles. That gives Christian Parker more flexibility on the back end.
There’s also a sign that Pittsburgh may already be feeling the loss. Jordan Schultz reported that after moving on from Porter, the Steelers are now looking for cornerback help at the trade deadline. That only adds to the sense that they gave up their top corner rather than paying him.
Dallas will still have a decision to make after the season, since Porter will need a new extension or a franchise tag. But if the first stretch is any indication, the Cowboys should be more than comfortable making that investment. He’s looked like the long-term CB1 they wanted, and the trade is starting to look like a major win for Jerry Jones’ team.
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