The Joey Porter Jr. trade chatter is already starting to pile up in Pittsburgh, and it’s only gotten louder after the Steelers failed to lock him into a long-term extension. With Porter missing Week 1 in the win over the Atlanta Falcons, his name has now been tied to six possible NFL landing spots.
CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo listed the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers as teams that could make sense as trade partners if Porter becomes available.
Among that group, Chicago stands out the most. DeArdo pointed to a Bears pass defense that “was one of its biggest weaknesses in 2025, and based on how it currently looks, that may well be the case for 2026 unless the Bears do something soon,” and noted that the unit is already dealing with injuries to starting safety Coby Bryant (knee) and starting nickelback Kyler Gordon (calf).
He also wrote, “It goes without saying that Porter's arrival in Chicago would strengthen the team's Super Bowl aspirations. Adding to the likelihood of this scenario is that Khan and Bears GM Ryan Poles have a history of making notable transactions.”
There’s also a neat little twist here: the Steelers originally used the No. 32 pick on Porter, and that selection belonged to the Bears before Pittsburgh got it.
Still, a deal doesn’t feel like the most likely outcome in 2026. The Steelers have hit a snag on the money side, especially when it comes to guaranteed cash, but they’re built to contend now and can’t exactly afford to move on from their top coverage corner. If they want to keep this thing alive, they can always franchise tag Porter and take contract talks back up after the season.
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