The Cowboys have gone shopping for help, and they didn’t settle for a small fix. Dallas is finalizing a trade for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., according to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero late Wednesday night, with ESPN’s Jane Slater reporting the deal sends a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh.
For the Eagles, that means the team chasing them in the NFC East just took a real swing.
Porter’s arrival is clearly aimed at a defense that needed help on the back end. Dallas is trying to patch up a porous secondary while pushing hard for immediate results, and the move comes with the kind of urgency that usually signals a front office trying to win right now. There’s still no guarantee Porter signs a new extension with the Cowboys, though the trade itself speaks volumes about their intentions.
The former Penn State star has already built a reputation as one of the league’s better young corners. He was a 2023 second-round pick and has played three seasons in Pittsburgh, putting together 165 tackles, 31 passes defended and three interceptions along the way.
His 2026 season in Pittsburgh never got rolling. Porter didn’t play in the Steelers’ first three games and has been on the injury report with a back injury. The contract situation also appears to have been part of the picture behind the scenes, even if that wasn’t stated outright.
Dallas enters this move sitting at 1-2 after a brutal Week 3 loss to the Ravens. The Cowboys let Baltimore rip off a 27-yard catch with seconds remaining, then watched the Ravens turn it into a game-winning 56-yard field goal. Before landing Porter, Dallas had already made smaller adjustments to the secondary earlier this week by signing defensive backs to the practice squad.
This isn’t exactly new territory for Jerry Jones. Last season, the Cowboys pulled off a major in-season deal for All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams before the trade deadline.
Porter helps, but he doesn’t solve everything. Dallas still owns the NFL’s second-worst run defense, having given up 539 rushing yards through three games. Even so, the addition gives the Cowboys another serious piece as they try to close the gap on the Eagles, win the NFC East and lock up the automatic playoff berth that comes with it.
The next chapter comes on Thanksgiving, when the Eagles travel to Dallas.
In Other News...
Giants QB Plans Just Got Clearer After Jaxson Dart Injury Update
Jaxson Darts next step is now clear after the rookie quarterback underwent surgery on his left knee to repair damage to his meniscus, MCL and PCL following the injury he suffered against the Los Angeles Rams. The procedure went as expected and doctors found no additional problems, but the recovery clock is long enough to force the Giants to settle their quarterback picture without him for a while.
Jameis Winston is now lined up as the starter, while J.J. McCarthy has been brought in as the backup, giving New York a much firmer short-term plan under center. For Dart, the focus shifts entirely to rehabilitation over the next four to six months, with the organization left to manage the position and monitor how the rookies recovery unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Have Found More Than A Returner In Charlie Jones
Charlie Jones decision to stay with the Giants after being cut by the Bengals gave New York a player who wanted a fresh start and a bigger role. Known mostly for his return work, Jones made clear he did not want to be viewed as only a specialist, and the Giants were willing to give him a chance to broaden his contribution while adding depth to a roster still sorting through injuries.
The immediate path is obvious enough, with Jones expected to help on kickoff returns, but the more interesting part is what comes next on offense. If he can carve out a real place as a receiver, the Giants could end up with more than a temporary fix in the return game, which is exactly the sort of bonus value teams are always trying to uncover this time of year. [Read more 🡒]
Former Giants Are Already Fueling A Painful Roster Debate
Week 3 brought a familiar sort of discomfort for Giants observers, with a handful of former players turning up around the league and reminding everyone how many roster decisions are still under scrutiny. Wan'Dale Robinson made the biggest splash of the group, leading the ex-Giants contingent with seven catches and a touchdown for Tennessee, while other familiar names like Daniel Bellinger, Austin Schlottmann, Dane Belton and Greg Van Roten logged snaps in roles that ranged from useful to merely present.
Cor'Dale Flott, Bobby Okereke and Rakeem Nunez-Roches were also in the mix, adding to the sense that this was more than a collection of passing reunions. It was a quiet but pointed snapshot of how much of the Giants' recent talent pool is still spreading across the league, and why every week seems to invite another round of second-guessing about what stayed in New York and what got away. [Read more 🡒]