The Dallas Cowboys' defense needed help, and owner/GM Jerry Jones went out and got it. The club continued their buddy-buddy relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing their third trade in the last 18 months, bringing in cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The former second-round pick is now back home in Texas.
Porter had been embroiled in a contract dispute with the Steelers since the summer, as the No. 32 overall selection was not afforded the fifth-round option that comes along with first-round picks. Porter sees himself on par with the top corners in the league, who make $30 million a year or more. Pittsburgh doesn't negotiate with players during the regular season, leading to Porter's back injury to flare up and keep him out of the first three
regular season games.
When Porter's injury flared up on Wednesday, the day before the Steelers' Week 4 loss to Cleveland, their front office had enough and shipped him south. Miraculously, Porter's back allowed him to practice with the Cowboys the very next day.
But is he healthy enough to play?
He is. Porter carries no injury designation for Dallas and is expected to play despite only having a few days of learning Christian Parker's system.
Joey Porter Jr. is set to play for the Dallas Cowboys days after being traded from Pittsburgh, but the team is expected to limit his snaps vs Houston.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 4, 2026
One source estimated about 30 snaps or so, depending on the flow of the game.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Is Joey Porter playing today vs Texans? Cowboys CB officially active
