Dallas Cowboys call about potential trade for disgruntled Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.

The Dallas Cowboys spent a considerable amount of their resources in an effort to improve their defense during the course of the offseason. They hired a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker , traded for pass rusher Rashan Gary , and drafted defensive back Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick.

Unfortunately for Dallas, their multiple attempts at building a better defense have not had the results they hoped for early in 2026. At 1-1, there are still some aspects of the unit that are desperate need of improvement.

Among these is the secondary, where the Cowboys are starting to call about one disgruntled Pittsburgh Steelers star.

The Dallas Cowboys have called the Pittsburgh Steelers about Joey Porter Jr.

Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is one of the most popular players on their team. The son of a franchise legend, he is in an awkward situation with the organization when it comes to his contract. For as long as anyone can remember, Pittsburgh does not negotiate contracts with players during the regular season. When the Steelers and Porter were unable to come to a contract extension agreement during the offseason, the organization cut off talks.

This has led many to believe that 2026 will be Porter's final season with the Steelers. He has yet to play this year due to a back injury and his ramp-up as a result. Some believe this is a tactic by the defensive star to get the organization to resume talking to his agent regarding his contract.

Obviously, this is not an ideal situation, and some believe that Pittsburgh could end up trading Porter before the deadline. One of the teams that has called about him is the Cowboys, according to ESPN :

"A handful of teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions , have begun making inquiries about the availability of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., league sources told ESPN. "The Steelers would be willing to listen to trade offers for Porter, according to sources, but they would want a strong compensation package if they were to deal the fourth-year star. "Porter has been seeking a new contract, but the Steelers do not negotiate deals during the season, raising questions about the possibility of a trade."

"A handful of teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions , have begun making inquiries about the availability of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., league sources told ESPN.

"The Steelers would be willing to listen to trade offers for Porter, according to sources, but they would want a strong compensation package if they were to deal the fourth-year star.

"Porter has been seeking a new contract, but the Steelers do not negotiate deals during the season, raising questions about the possibility of a trade."

Dallas is thin at cornerback, and adding Porter would certainly give that position a boost. The question, though, is whether or not the Cowboys could afford to give him the extension he wants. They already have significant salary cap resources tied up in multiple players on both sides of the ball, and paying another play top-of-the-market dollars may not be feasible. Dallas certainly has the draft capital to make a trade work, but anything beyond 2026 would still be up in the air.

That being said, for a team that is desperate to return to the postseason and Super Bowl, it may be a price worth paying, even if it is for the short-term.

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