The Joey Porter Jr. situation in Pittsburgh still has no clear ending, and now two NFC teams have reportedly stepped into the conversation.
The Steelers are heading into a Week 3 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals without any real clarity on when Porter Jr. might be back. As of now, a return to action looks unlikely, leaving Pittsburgh to keep sorting through a situation that has dragged on through the first two weeks of the season.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions have “begun making inquiries” about Porter Jr.’s availability. Schefter reported the interest through his X account, adding another layer to a situation that has already been slow to resolve.
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.https://t.co/dk3zmiJ0EO
That development cuts against the way this week had started. Porter Jr. was limited or did not practice over the first two weeks, but he appeared to be trending in the right direction as Week 3 approached.
His participation increased, and he told reporters recently that he planned on playing when healthy. For a moment, it looked like the hold-up might be nearing its end.
Instead, another week has gone by with Porter Jr. still sidelined, and that leaves the Steelers with the same unresolved question: what comes next?
The fit with Dallas and Detroit is easy to understand. Both teams need help in the secondary.
The Lions have not been the same this season, and the losses of Terrion Arnold and Kerby Joseph have clearly hit them hard. Detroit sees itself as a contender in the NFC, but that won’t hold if the pass defense doesn’t improve.
Dallas has its own issues in the back end. Da’Ron Bland is still the top corner there, but his production has dipped over the last two seasons.
Through the first two games, he has just one pass defended and six tackles. The Cowboys would like a true No. 1 corner to build around, which explains why Porter Jr. has entered the discussion.
Of course, the biggest question is whether Pittsburgh actually wants to deal him. The Steelers are not forced into anything, and they still have the ability to keep Porter Jr. beyond 2026. Unless the situation becomes desperate, they still appear unlikely to move on from the cornerback.
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