Joey Porter Jr.’s time with the Steelers has come to an abrupt end before it ever got rolling in 2026, with Pittsburgh finalizing a deal to send the 26-year-old cornerback to Dallas, according to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero.
Porter had not appeared in a game for the Steelers this season. Ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Browns, Pittsburgh listed him as out with the designation of “NIR (not injury related)/conditioning/back.” He also missed training camp because of a back injury and had been working his way back into game shape.
Now the Cowboys will be the team trying to get him onto the field for the first time this year.
The return for Pittsburgh is a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick, according to The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones. Jordan Schultz reported that the Steelers felt they had “no choice” but to move Porter, and that the Lions and Giants had also expressed interest in a trade.
As for Porter’s future in Dallas, Schultz said the Cowboys will “not be immediately extending” his contract. The plan, he reported, is to get him playing first and let the contract situation “take care of itself from there.”
Porter is in the final year of his rookie deal and is making just under $4 million. He had been seeking an extension from the Steelers during the offseason, but the sides couldn’t reach an agreement. Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan also made it clear those talks would not continue once the season began.
Porter’s 2025 season line with Pittsburgh included 14 games, 52 tackles, 35 solo stops, 17 assists, 14 passes defended and one interception.
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