As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue with contract negotiations with star cornerback Joey Porter Jr, one NFL analyst has come up with four teams and trade packages that make sense. Now, I’ll stick with my prediction that the Steelers and Porter Jr will come to an agreement and won’t agree to a trade, but let’s have some fun and take a look at the proposals.
Alex Kayof Bleacher Report listed the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Green Bay Packers as potential teams.
Chicago Bears
- Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 second and sixth-round draft picks
- Chicago Bears receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.
Kay notes the lack
of cornerback depth for the Bears as a big factor as to why they would want to make this trade.
“The Bears do have one standout corner already in Jaylon Johnson, although he’s maintained that 2026 is a contract year for him despite still having two seasons left on the four-year, $76 million deal he inked following a breakout 2023 campaign,“ Kay writes. ”With Johnson’s future with the organization uncertain, Chicago’s brass could get ahead of a potential disastrous situation by acquiring Porter and locking him up on a long-term extension.
The rest of the cornerback room in the Windy City leaves something to be desired.
Tyrique Stevenson is serviceable when healthy but is now week-to-week with an injury. Rookie fourth-rounder Malik Muhammad II has potential to be an impact player, but is still a raw, developmental prospect. Kyler Gordon’s status is particularly concerning. Although he was a consistent starter for his first three years in the league, the 2022 second-rounder appeared in just three games last season and is set to open 2026 on the PUP list with a calf injury…“
Green Bay Packers
Kay suggests the same trade package as the Bears and the Packers are in a similar win-now spot in 2026.
“The team’s recent depth chart release showed Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon starting, with rookie second-rounder Brandon Cisse and Kitan Oladapo serving as backups,” Kay writes. “Porter represents a large upgrade and his presence alongside star safety Xavier McKinney would give the Packers one of the NFL’s most formidable secondary units.”
Nixon could be part of the package as well and the Packers don’t have a first round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, which Pittsburgh surely would ask for in any trade.
Miami Dolphins
- Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 third and fourth-round draft picks
- Miami Dolphins receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.
The Dolphins will be drafting in the top five in 2027 without a doubt so both picks will be high third and fourth rounders. Two top 100 picks are hard to turn down given the bevvy of talent in the draft class.
“The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of a rebuild, but adding a star-caliber cornerback like Joey Porter Jr. could help expedite the process.” Kay writes. “The team is extremely thin in the secondary and is largely lacking impact veterans like Porter who could get the franchise trending in the right direction.”
New York Giants
- Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 second and sixth-round draft picks
- New York Giants receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.
Three of the proposals involve second round picks, but the sixth round pick isn’t as enticing.
“Adding Joey Porter Jr. into the mix would massively improve the secondary and give Big Blue the elite defensive back it needs to contend with the talented NFC East wideouts it is set to come up against in 2026,” Kay writes. “The G-Men head into the campaign with incumbent Paulson Adebo remaining a starter on the outside. He largely failed to live up to the three-year, $54 million deal he signed last offseason, earning a paltry 58.4 grade from Pro Football Focus for his lackluster efforts.“
It’s important to point out that despite initial reports suggesting that teams have called the Steelers about Porter, Pittsburgh has received nor made any such calls, per Brooke Pryor. Until a deal of some sort gets done, though, the speculation will remain.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
- Mike McCarthy open to keeping four quarterbacks
- Steelers sign former Pitt safety
- Asante Samuel Sr critical of Joey Porter Jr’s contract hold in
- Steelers OT Max Iheanachor preparing to play Thursday vs. Bills
- Jalen Ramsey tells Steelers to pay Joey Porter Jr
