Cowboys' Trade With Steelers for Joey Porter Jr. Not Viewed Favorably By NFL Peers

The Dallas Cowboys went out and got the player they needed in Joey Porter Jr. via trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Cowboys ended up giving up a second-round pick and a sixth-round selection for the veteran cornerback, who will now look to help Dallas solve its coverage woes on defense.

But did the Cowboys overpay for Porter? Well, there are "many around the league" who believe Dallas did, according to The Athletic's Jonathan Jones.

"Many around the league believed Dallas overpaid, based largely on the belief that teams don’t view Porter as a top-tier corner," Jones reported.

“They were bidding against themselves for Porter,” one unnamed executive told Jones.

The general consensus seems to be that while Porter is a very good player, he isn't among the elite of the elite, and Pittsburgh might share that belief after its reluctance to pay him the big money Porter was seeking in an extension.

Lions were also in on Porter trade talks

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. — Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell watches a play against New York Jets during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While the executive said the Cowboys were bidding against themselves, that doesn't appear to be accurate. We know there was at least one other team in the running for Porter after Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted the team was talking to Pittsburgh about a deal. It isn't clear what the Lions were offering.

"We were very much in on him," Campbell told reporters.

It isn't clear what the Lions were offering.

Not everyone is down on Porter trade

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. watches warm-ups for a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One NFL general manager who spoke to Jones considered it a fair trade because he views the 2028 second-round pick as equal to a 2027 third-rounder, which makes the compensation "down the fairway."

"This is a view held by many — but not all — across the league: a future pick is discounted against a current one," Jones said.

When viewed through that lens, it's a very good deal for Dallas.

Even if you don't think Porter isn't among the best of the best at his position, he is certainly a good No. 1 corner and what the Cowboys gave up is fair value, at worst.

What the future holds for Porter in Dallas

Porter still doesn't have a contract and the veteran cornerback has said he will bet on himself in Dallas and play without one.

“Bet on myself. You got to always have that at the end of the day, and that’s what I’m doing,” Porter said.

While that solves the issue for now, the Cowboys are going to have to address Porter's contract next offseason. How Dallas approaches that will depend on what Porter puts on tape.

If he's the impact player Dallas was hoping for, the Cowboys are going to try and extend him, or franchise tag him if the two sides can't agree on compensation before that deadline.

The latter approach might lead to Porter holding out, but we can't say he'll take that route for sure. If that happens, Dallas will no doubt explore a sign-and-trade scenario.

One potential dilemma with the tag is the Cowboys have to weigh saving it for George Pickens, who is eligible to get it again, although at a higher price.

If, for whatever reason, the Cowboys let Porter walk in free agency, the team would likely collect a compensatory pick, something Dallas factored into the equation upon trading for Porter on Wednesday night.

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