Steelers trading CB Joey Porter Jr. to Cowboys after failed contract negotiations

The Steelers are receiving a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round selection from the Cowboys , Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein confirmed .

After being selected with a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Porter is playing in the final year of his rookie deal, which will pay him $3.924 million. Porter and the Steelers were unable to reach a contract extension in the offseason.

Porter won't get an imminent extension in Dallas, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz . Porter hasn't asked for one yet either, the Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins reported .

Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan had reiterated on Aug. 31 that the team does not deal with extensions during the season, and no deal was completed when the Steelers took on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.

Porter has not played this season and was ruled out of the Steelers' Thursday night game against the Browns. He has been listed with a back injury, but many believed his contract situation played a role in his missing the game. It's yet to be seen if he'll play for the Cowboys on Sunday.

Reports earlier in the day indicated that the Lions and Giants offered third-round picks for Porter , but no team had floated a second-rounder. Apparently that changed on Wednesday night.

Porter is the third Steelers player traded to the Cowboys in a 17-month span. In May 2025, the Cowboys acquired wide receiver George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth. In August, the Cowboys sent a pair of 2027 draft picks (third and sixth) to Pittsburgh in exchange for tackle Broderick Jones and a 2027 fourth-rounder.

The cornerback likely wanted to be paid like a top player at his position, but after Christian Gonzalez (four-year, $135 million) and Devon Witherspoon (four-year, $132 million) signed mega deals this offseason, Pittsburgh opted not to pursue a record-setting deal and made a trade.

Porter was drafted with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which was technically the first pick of the second round. The Miami Dolphins had their pick forfeited after the league found them guilty of tampering.

As a rookie, Porter played in all 17 games, starting 11. The corner had 43 total tackles, 1 interception and 10 passes defended.

Over his three-year career, Porter has tallied 165 combined tackles, 3 interceptions and 31 passes defended. Last year, the corner played in 14 games and finished with 52 total tackles, one sack, one interception and 14 passes defended.

The cornerback is the son of former NFL player and Steelers star Joey Porter. He was a linebacker in the NFL from 1999 to 2011, splitting time between the Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals . Over the course of his career, he tallied 689 total tackles with 12 interceptions in 188 games.