After a few passive-aggressive weeks for everyone involved, star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is no longer a Pittsburgh Steeler. In fact, in a curious twist, his back injury seems to have magically healed after he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. Hmm. Funny how that works at the most convenient time.
As the Steelers play their first game without Porter on their roster against the Cleveland Browns tonight, you're probably wondering how we got here. After all, as an organization, the Steelers are not usually ones to let young, talented players just entering their prime go, even if it means they're getting decent draft capital in return. If anything, the Steelers have historically been about retaining players who could be considered part
of their core at all costs.
In light of that, let's quickly unpack what happened between Porter and why the Steelers wound up trading a 26-year-old No. 1 cornerback.
The Joey Porter Jr. Steelers-to-Cowboys trade came down to dollars and cents (and maybe some sense, too)
A second-round draft pick in 2023, Porter is officially in the last year of his rookie contract. That meant Porter was seeking his first big NFL payday on a contract extension with the Steelers. As noted by ESPN, Pittsburgh was not willing to bridge the gap between how Porter viewed himself and how the organization views him and its future on the defensive side of the ball.
And that's why this impasse ultimately came to light.
When the financial distinction was made, the assumption many made was that Porter was in an unofficial holdout. He (somewhat rightfully) seemed unwilling to risk his future health for a franchise that would not give him the extension and long-term security he was seeking. This trade we're talking about now was a last resort; it seems the relationship between Porter and the Steelers was irreparable. He has yet to play a single meaningful snap in 2026. That could change now that he's a Cowboy.
Wait, so ... are the Cowboys going to pay Porter?
The bad news for Porter is that the Cowboys don't sound like they're too keen on rushing a Porter extension, either. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that Porter will be put in the same pocket as other Dallas stars seeking new deals like George Pickens, and his individual situation will be evaluated in the offseason. The Cowboys will not give Porter an extension midseason. The general expectation is that Porter plays along with the Cowboys for the time being, while letting everything ideally take care of itself.
How will the Steelers replace Joey Porter Jr.?
Well, they probably won't. Not right now, anyway. However, Asante Samuel Jr. has already been starting in Porter's usual right cornerback spot for the last three games. On the field, it appears that the Steelers have already moved on without the player who was going to be one of their top defenders.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why did the Steelers trade Joey Porter Jr.?
