Once again, the Steelers and Cowboys have pulled off a significant trade. The latest trade between the two iconic franchises took place late Wednesday night, when the Steelers traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.
The trade was a byproduct of Porter and the Steelers being unable to come to terms on a contract extension this summer. Porter — who was entering the final year of his rookie contract — did not practice during the summer and was inactive for each of Pittsburgh’s first three games. Just hours prior to the trade, the Steelers had ruled Porter out of Thursday night’s game against the Browns with a back injury.
Assuming Porter is healthy, the Cowboys are getting a quality starting cornerback who can immediately improve the backend of the defense. Dallas’ defense could use some help, as they are currently 25th in the NFL in points allowed, 32nd in third-down efficiency, and 21st in red-zone efficiency.
The Steelers will move forward with veterans Asante Samuel Jr. and Jamel Dean as starting cornerbacks, with rookie Daylen Everette behind them.
Which team won this trade? Let’s find out.
Steelers: B-
It’s hard to give the Steelers a much higher grade. While Porter reportedly drove a hard bargain, it’s safe to say that the Steelers could have avoided this mess if they had handled the situation with more urgency during the offseason. Ideally, the Steelers would have signed Porter before several other cornerbacks (most notably Christian Gonzalez) received big paydays. Once that happened, it undoubtedly made extending Porter much more difficult.
In the end, the Steelers couldn’t bring themselves to give Porter what he wanted, which is valid. As good as Porter is, he doesn’t have elite ball skills (he has three career interceptions in three seasons), is known for being handsy with receivers (which has often led to holding and pass interference penalties) and has had injury issues. He also isn’t a great tackler.
In addition to Porter’s likely contract demands, teams were also reportedly scared off by the Steelers’ demands. The Steelers probably wanted more than they got, but in the end, they secured 2027 draft capital in addition to a future second-round pick.
From a performance standpoint, losing Porter makes the Steelers a weaker team. But after the two sides couldn’t agree to terms before Week 1, Porter essentially forced their hand. The Steelers had no choice but to trade him.
There are three big positives for the Steelers. They avoided overpaying Porter, have a promising cornerback on the roster in Everette, and have rid themselves of what was a massive distraction.
Cowboys: C
Outside of the fact that Jerry Jones loves making splashy trades, it’s easy to see why the Cowboys made this happen. Dallas needs reinforcements in the secondary, and they were able to get a player who can address that issue now.
The Cowboys are a better team now than they were 24 hours ago. While Porter has his weaknesses, he is a very good player who — at 26 years old — should just be entering his prime. Specifically, Porter has excelled in man coverage. Having him in the fold should make a significant impact for a Cowboys team that is looking to bounce back after losing two of their first three games.
Dallas also deserves credit for not giving up a high draft pick in the 2027 draft. The Steelers likely weren’t going to budge off a second-round pick, so the Cowboys made the best of a less-than-ideal situation by giving up a 2028 second-rounder.
Money is the biggest reason why the Cowboys lost this trade. Dallas already has some expensive players on payroll (including on the defensive side of the ball in Quinnen Williams, DaRon Bland and Kenny Clark), and now, they’re about to shell out even more money for a player who has never been selected to a Pro Bowl. Dallas also still has the pending George Pickens contract to address.
If Porter excels in Dallas and he can help the Cowboys make several deep playoff runs (including this year), Jones’ latest gamble would have been well worth it. But if Porter fails to live up to his expected contract, this trade will be remembered as another situation where Jones bit off more than he can chew.
