Joey Porter Jr. expected to play for Cowboys in Week 4 after missing start of season with back injury

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is healed. After missing the start of the season due to a back injury, Porter is expected to play in Week 4 after being traded to the Cowboys, according to ESPN.

Porter, however, is expected to have his snaps limited during the contest.

It will mark the first game all season in which Porter has played. The 26-year-old missed the first three weeks of the regular season due to both back and conditioning issues. Despite being able to put in work during practices, Porter was constantly ruled out on game days by the Pittsburgh Steelers after missing time in the offseason due to a contract dispute.

That dispute ultimately resulted in the Steelers trading Porter to the Cowboys on Wednesday. The Cowboys sent a sixth-round pick and a second-round pick to the Steelers as part of the deal.

Following the trade, Porter was not listed among the Cowboys' injuries and received no injury designation on the team's final report, suggesting he would suit up in Week 4 against the Houston Texans.

While there's an uncharitable read on the situation that suggests Porter was never truly hurt and was sitting out over his contract situation in Pittsburgh, the limited snap count for Porter in Week 4 does suggest there are legitimate concerns about immediately throwing him into a game.

Porter, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, was at odds with the Steelers all offseason over a contract extension. There was a hard deadline on a deal getting done, as the Steelers — generally — do not negotiate contracts during the season. That deadline passed without a deal, putting Porter and the team at an impasse.

That impasse was solved with Wednesday's trade. Though he still doesn't have a contract extension, Porter will reportedly take the field for the Cowboys in Week 4. If he can go out and turn in a strong season, Porter should eventually get the mega-contract he's seeking, whether from the Cowboys or from another franchise once he hits the free-agent market.