Grading the trade: Steelers finally pull the trigger on saying goodbye to Joey Porter Jr. after shipping him to the Cowboys
The Pittsburgh Steelers finally pulled the trigger on moving their best cornerback, but the return leaves a lot to be desired — here is why this deal grades out as painfully average.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys, ending weeks of drama surrounding the former second-round pick’s contract standoff with the organization. NFL insider Tom Pelissero was first to report the deal, detailing on his Substack why Pittsburgh finally made the move. The return? A 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. The grade? Not so great for the Steelers.
The details of the trade change the complexion entirely
The Steelers will receive a second-round pick and a sixth-round pick, but the years attached to those selections tell the real story. The second-round pick doesn’t arrive until 2028, a full two years from now. The sixth-rounder comes in 2027. Pittsburgh moved one of its best defensive players, a bona fide No. 1 cornerback and legacy player, for draft capital it won’t see for one to two years.
On top of that, Porter is reportedly willing to play for Dallas without a new contract extension in place. That detail is a big, fat slap in the face to the Steelers and their front office.
Joey Porter Jr. 2025 stats
- 35 tackles
- 1 interception
- 14 pass breakups
The contract standoff was always headed here
The Steelers were never going to pay Porter at or above $30 million per year. From what we understood, Pittsburgh’s last offer sat around $27 million average per year. Porter and his representatives turned it down, and the Steelers’ strict no-negotiation policy once the regular season begins left zero room for further talks.
Porter wasn’t playing. All of the talk about a back injury was, in fact, contractitis. He was fine. When Pittsburgh ruled him out on Wednesday for Thursday night in Cleveland, it became clear he was never going to suit up for the Steelers again. So the organization finally pulled the trigger.
What Porter’s willingness to play in Dallas really means
The fact that Porter appears ready to play for the Cowboys without a new deal in hand tells you everything you need to know about the state of the relationship in Pittsburgh. This was never purely about money. Right or wrong, Porter obviously felt disrespected, and as we reported, Porter was never going to play for the Steelers again. The relationship had become untenable. The two sides were headed for divorce ever since that final offer was rejected.
Final trade grade: C
The Steelers got the best they could for Porter given the circumstances, but that doesn’t mean they got a good deal. Pittsburgh lost its best corner, one of its best defensive players, a former second-round draft pick, and a cornerback with true No. 1 ability. In return, they received a second-round pick two years removed from where we are right now and a late-round selection in 2027, all the while hearing that Porter will in fact play out the final year of his deal with Dallas.
This trade is as average as the day is long. The Steelers have officially moved on from Joey Porter Jr., and the only question now is how they plan to fill the massive hole he leaves behind.
