The Steelers’ contract standoff with Joey Porter Jr. has now spilled into trade chatter, and two Super Bowl contenders are being mentioned as teams to keep an eye on.
Pittsburgh still hasn’t reached an agreement with Porter Jr. on an extension, and the two sides are said to be at a stalemate. The cornerback was listed as inactive for the Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, with the Steelers saying his absence was tied to a back injury. Even so, some pundits have questioned that explanation, especially given how the situation unfolded.
Porter Jr. was also part of offseason trade talk, though nothing ever picked up real momentum. That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from heating up again as teams move into Week 2, with the Chiefs and Lions now being floated as possible destinations if Pittsburgh were to make him available.
“Rumors: The Chiefs and Lions could be teams to watch as trade destinations for disgruntled Steelers’ cornerback Joey Porter Jr, per Ian Rapoport.”
For now, it’s still just talk. But the fit is easy to see, at least on paper. Kansas City could certainly use a player like Porter Jr., and adding a corner of his caliber would give an already dangerous roster another defensive piece to lean on.
Detroit’s case looks more direct. After Terrion Arnold was released in the offseason, the Lions are left with D.J.
Reed and Rock Ya-Sin as their starting outside cornerbacks, with Keith Abney II behind them on the depth chart. That leaves plenty of room for a move if the Steelers decide Porter Jr. is actually available.
If Pittsburgh and Porter Jr. can’t get past their differences, the Chiefs or Lions could be the teams ready to jump. And if not either of them, then it could be another club stepping in to make the deal.
In Other News...
Cardinals Just Cleared The Way For A Third Base Battle
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His departure leaves the Cardinals with a clearer runway to sort out the hot corner from within, and it adds another layer to a position that already figures to draw plenty of attention in camp. St. Louis has several internal candidates to consider, so the release does not settle the spot so much as it opens the door wider for a competition that will be worth watching when the roster starts taking shape for next season. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Lose Joshua Baez As Another Roster Shift Begins
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Cesar Prieto has been brought up as part of the reshuffle, and the Cardinals now have two open spots on their 40-man roster as the offseason picture starts to take shape. With more changes expected to come, the Baez injury is only one piece of a broader roster reset that could continue to unfold in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Fans Just Got A New Reason To Trust The Plan
Oliver Marmols upbeat view of the Cardinals direction adds another layer to a fan base that has spent the last stretch waiting for the club to get back to its standard. Even with the recent playoff absences hanging over the conversation, the message out of the dugout is that the organization believes it has a workable system and a clearer path forward than it did a year or two ago.
For Cardinals followers, the appeal is less about a quick fix than the sense that the front office is trying to assemble something sustainable. The longer view points toward a roster that could be in the postseason mix by 2027, which is still more projection than promise, but it is enough to keep the conversation centered on progress instead of frustration. [Read more 🡒]