The Cowboys got the kind of cornerback who can change a matchup when he’s on the field. The problem is, Joey Porter Jr. hasn’t been on the field nearly enough.
Dallas traded for the former Steelers defensive back expecting a high-end man-coverage piece, and Porter has shown exactly that when available. But availability is quickly becoming the story.
He already missed one game early in his Cowboys stint because of an “illness,” then sat out Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts with a heel/ankle injury. Before the game, he was spotted in street clothes with his hands in his pockets while his teammates went through warm-ups.
The Cowboys still beat a Colts team that is now 2-7, but it was a tight one, and Porter wasn’t there to help close it out. That’s where the frustration starts to creep in. Dallas clearly landed a good player, but the price tag is beginning to look steep.
Porter has appeared in only four games since the trade. Even when he’s active, he hasn’t been on the field in anything close to a full-time role.
From Week 4 through Week 8, he played 148 total snaps, according to Pro Football Reference, which works out to 37 snaps per game. Of those, 102 came in coverage, the part of his game that stands out most.
That leaves him at 25 coverage snaps per game when he’s available, and when you account for the two games he missed, he’s giving Dallas just 17 snaps per game in the games the Cowboys have played since the deal.
For a player Dallas paid up for, that’s a tough return.
The Steelers got a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick in the trade. At the time, it looked like Pittsburgh had sold low on a talented cornerback in his prime. Now, that haul looks a lot better than it did then.
Dallas also took on the risk that comes with a player in a contract year. Porter is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and there’s no guarantee he’s back beyond 2026.
If the Cowboys want to keep him, they may need the franchise tag or a major extension that could climb north of $30 million per season. If not, he could simply leave in free agency.
That’s the part that makes this situation even more delicate. If the Cowboys miss the playoffs and Porter walks, the trade could age badly in a hurry.
For now, the bottom line is simple: Dallas has a talented cornerback, but not nearly enough of him. And the Steelers may have come away with more than anyone expected.
In Other News...
Browns Wild-Card Margin Just Got Even Smaller
Week 9 brought another reminder that the AFC playoff picture is tightening around the Steelers corner of the bracket, with Cleveland getting a major boost from Myles Garretts return and three-sack outing. Around the league, the results kept the contenders sorted into familiar tiers, as teams like the Bills, Broncos, Jaguars and 49ers continued to strengthen their postseason position with wins and manageable upcoming schedules.
For Pittsburgh, the bigger takeaway is how little room remains for the Browns to slip in the wild-card race. Every week now feels like a shuffle of margins rather than a reset, and with Cleveland hanging around and other AFC teams stacking wins, the Steelers are watching a race where one result can change the math quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Head To Cincinnati With First Place Suddenly On The Line
A trip to Cincinnati suddenly comes with a lot more than the usual AFC North edge. Pittsburgh and the Bengals both arrive at 6-2, both riding four-game winning streaks, and the winner will leave Week 10 in a far better spot in the race for first place. For a Steelers team that has spent the last month building momentum, this is the kind of matchup that can sharpen a seasons direction in a hurry.
The division picture got even more interesting elsewhere, with Baltimore making a major quarterback change after placing Lamar Jackson on injured reserve and turning to Jacoby Brissett. For Pittsburgh, that only adds to the sense that the next stretch can reshape the standings quickly, especially with the Steelers still trying to protect their own place at the top. Off the field, the organization also had a scare involving legend Jack Ham, who was hospitalized but reported to be alert while undergoing tests. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Trade Target Suddenly Comes With A Serious New Concern
The Steelers are still expected to explore the wide receiver market before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, and Calvin Ridley had been one of the names tied to that search. Pittsburgh has been looking for help at the position, and Ridleys profile as a potential target made sense on paper, even as his recent performance has trended in the wrong direction.
Now there is another layer to weigh. The Titans confirmed Ridley was involved in an incident at Nashville International Airport, but offered no further explanation, and that uncertainty only adds to the questions surrounding a player whose on-field production has already raised some concern. For a Steelers front office trying to balance need with risk, that kind of development can change the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]