The Cowboys jumped ahead of the Lions and landed Joey Porter Jr. in a late-night deal with the Steelers, adding one of the league’s most physical cornerbacks after a summer of contract drama in Pittsburgh.
Porter and the Steelers had been at odds for months over a new deal, and nothing got done. That strained relationship created the opening for a trade, and on Sunday ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that both Detroit and Dallas had started checking on Porter’s availability.
“A handful of teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions, have begun making inquiries about the availability of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., league sources told ESPN. The Steelers would be willing to listen to trade offers for Porter, according to sources, but they also would want a strong compensation package if they were to deal the fourth-year star,” Schefter wrote.
By late Wednesday night, The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero reported the move was heading to Dallas.
“The Steelers and Cowboys are finalizing a deal late Wednesday night that will send cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas. The Cowboys first called about Porter-who didn’t participate in training camp amid contract talks and hadn’t played this season, citing a back injury-a couple of weeks ago. But trade talks really accelerated in recent days, finally coming to a head less than 24 hours before Pittsburgh was scheduled to kick off Thursday night’s game against the Browns in Cleveland,” Pelissero wrote.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz then reported the return: a second-round pick and a conditional sixth from Dallas.
“Cowboys are sending a 2nd round pick and a conditional 6th to the Steelers in the trade to get Joey Porter Jr. Deal is being finalized tonight,” Schultz wrote.
The move gives Dallas a real one-two punch at corner with DaRon Bland on the other side of Porter. It also leaves the Lions outbid, though it’s unclear what they were prepared to send. Dallas clearly had the stronger offer.
For Porter, it ends a messy stretch with the Steelers and sends him into a new situation with a Cowboys team that is a legitimate playoff contender. For Dallas, it’s a clear swing that makes life tougher for opposing offenses.
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The Lions have spent enough time dealing with issues in the secondary that any possible cornerback help is worth a close look. Injuries and off-field problems have thinned out the group and left Detroit searching for stability on the back end, which is why the team has been connected to outside options as it tries to patch a problem that has lingered.
Joey Porter Jr. was one name the Lions had explored, but he ended up with the Dallas Cowboys, leaving Detroit to keep scanning the market. Another possibility is Chargers cornerback Cam Hart, a player who could fit the need for more defensive backs and give the Lions another route to address a spot that has become impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
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Dan Campbell Just Hit A Familiar Lions Nerve On Pass Interference
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Campbell also sounded skeptical about whether challenging pass interference ever really solves much, which is hardly surprising for a team that has already been flagged for a league-high number of defensive pass interference penalties early this season. For Detroit, the issue is bigger than one blown whistle or one close call, because every questionable contact downfield has a way of reopening old wounds while putting even more pressure on an already costly part of the defense. [Read more 🡒]