Examining 5 teams that could be trade candidates for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. are beyond the posturing stage. Trade talk is already in the air, and neither side appears to be trying to waft it away.

The hangup is Porter's contract. He's in the final year of his rookie deal, earning $3.92 million this season, with a $4.92 million cap number. Porter and the Steelers never felt particularly close to an extension, especially after the Seahawks' Devon Witherspoon and the Patriots' Christian Gonzalez agreed on deals that made them the two highest-paid corners in the league.

The 26-year-old Porter is reportedly seeking $30 million plus with his next deal. The Steelers opted to make Porter a healthy inactive in Week 1 while the impasse remains. Barring a quick resolution, a trade could be on the table.

We don't see a lot of young, difference-making cornerbacks traded during the season, but it does happen. Sauce Gardner is the most recent example last season, costing the Colts two future first-round picks and a young player.

That price was high, and Porter's contract status likely would lower that price some, but it signals just how important impact players can be at that position. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound Porter has never made a Pro Bowl and has only three interceptions in three seasons, but his 31 passes defended are a very respectable number — and a key indicator of his ability to make plays on the ball.

With both sides dug in, a trade feels more likely now than ever. If so, which teams could be interested? Let's dig in on the possibilities.

They're atop my list for myriad reasons.

First, it's a scheme fit. Porter is best as a man cornerback, and the Lions were third in man-coverage rate (32%) a year ago. Their man rate was lower in Week 1, with SumerSports charting it at 26%, but you can likely chalk that up to being shorthanded in the secondary. They've already cut Terrion Arnold, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is hurt, which has been a chronic problem.

Second, they have the flexibility to do it. The Lions recently restructured the deals of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell and sit almost $39 million under the salary cap for this season. Brad Holmes has never shied away from a bold stroke as general manager, and there are reports that Detroit has already made a call on Porter. The Lions have all their draft picks for 2027, plus a little more, so they could afford the price tag if the Steelers ask for a first-rounder and more for Porter.

The Lions started D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin against the Saints, with Roger McCreary and rookie Keith Abney filling in, and they almost fell under the weight of New Orleans' second-half comeback in Week 1. They need help in the secondary, and this is a Lions team that believes it can be back in the playoff mix. They'd hate to see the secondary break down late in the season again, so the motivation to upgrade has to be there.

And though Porter, who is Pittsburgh through and through as the son of the Steelers' longtime linebacker, has no direct connection to the city of Detroit, there is a fun bit of history involving the Porter family and the city: Dad holding a 5-year old Joey Jr. on Ford Field after the Steelers won Super Bowl XL.

If this trade happens, we demand the photo recreation be shot 20-plus years later.

The Cowboys were sold as a team ready to make their move this season, armed with a loaded offense and a defense that's ready to step up in weight class. Sadly, neither unit performed up to snuff in the Week 1 loss at the Giants.

Do they chalk it up to early growing pains? Or will this make the Cowboys more likely to continue adding pieces while seeking another elusive Super Bowl run?

The Cowboys have been more aggressive in adding pieces, with last season's Quinnen Williams trade good evidence of that. Owner Jerry Jones has hinted in recent months that there are marquee players they could make a run at. Dallas sent its first-rounder to the Jets for Williams, but the Micah Parsons trade sends a first back to the Cowboys in 2027, and they also have extra Day 3 picks next year to dangle.

The defense had a long night Sunday, and cornerback feels especially thin behind DaRon Bland, with Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel next in the pecking order. The recent injury to safety Malik Hooker has hurt the overall secondary prowess, too.

They have the cap space and motivation to make a move, and the Cowboys and Steelers have been frequent trade partners the past few years, with the George Pickens and Broderick Jones deals. This is one to keep an eye on if the Cowboys are willing to part with the draft picks.

If you watched the Bears' Week 1 demolition of the Panthers, you know they have what could be a special offense. Defensively, however, things are less settled. They allowed 37 points at Carolina, giving up four receptions of 27 yards or longer, including a 51-yard TD pass.

The Bears also check the scheme box. They were on the higher end of the man-coverage spectrum last season and appeared to play an even higher percentage in Week 1. Porter and Jaylon Johnson would make a fine pair, and the depth is a bit sparse thereafter, but can the team afford to pay two corners more than $50 million next season?

They also have more immediate constraints, sitting less than $5 million under the cap for this season, and the Bears have recently extended several key pieces. Fitting Porter into the financial structure — with a Caleb Williams extension possibly looming next offseason — is the real trick here.

The Bears could try to steal a player of Porter's caliber from a division rival, but there are some hoops to jump through to make that happen.

The Week 1 win over the Rams in Australia was a reminder that when the 49ers are at their best — and healthiest — they can match almost any team's best. But in the thorny NFC West, nothing can be taken for granted, and the Niners might have to be aggressive to make a run at the division title and, ultimately, a return trip to the Super Bowl.

If the 49ers decide Porter makes sense, they'll have the financial flexibility to do it. The Niners lead the league in salary-cap space currently, and GM John Lynch has earned his "Trader John" nickname with in-season moves for players such as Christian McCaffrey, Jimmy Garoppolo, Chase Young, Emmanuel Sanders and others. If a player is deemed a good fit, they're absolutely willing to listen.

But therein lies the hangup: The Niners remain a heavier zone-coverage team, so the question remains whether Porter and his expensive cost would be worth the acquisition.

Needs-wise, however, Porter could be viewed as an upgrade over Renardo Green, and a top pairing of Porter and Deommodore Lenoir would give them better length and skill to match the battery of talented receivers they're set to face this season.

There has been some speculation surrounding Porter and the Commanders, and on a few levels it makes sense.

If you watched the Week 1 loss to the Eagles, you likely saw a few coverage busts from Mike Sainristil on the outside. He's a better fit inside, and acquiring Porter would allow that move to happen. The Commanders say they still like 2025 second-round pick Trey Amos, but he has practiced in full just once since Nov. 9 last year, so his ongoing injury concerns keep him a risky-at-best fallback option at some point.

Their supple cap situation probably makes a Porter trade financially viable, too, even if they're earmarking a lot of money for Jayden Daniels' future extension.

But would GM Adam Peters be willing to part with more valuable draft pieces? That strategy, trading for Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel in 2025, hasn't paid off yet, and it left them with a shallow draft till the past two years, making only 11 draft picks (and only four on Days 1 and 2). Biting into their future picks could lead to similar problems and a shallower depth chart.

The Commanders can use the high-end talent on defense, but this is not a man-heavy scheme that perfectly fits Porter's skill set, and the cost might ultimately be a bit out of reach if there's a strong market for his services.