Cowboys Jerry Jones Expresses Interest in Keeping Joey Porter Jr. Long-Term

For the third time over the past two seasons, the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers agreed to a trade involving a player on his rookie deal. First, it was wide receiver George Pickens, who was sent to Dallas after the 2025 NFL draft.

This year, there was a deal just ahead of the regular season, which sent Broderick Jones to Dallas to serve as their swing tackle. This week, they were at it again as the Cowboys acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

The one thing all three players had in common, outside of coming from Pittsburgh, is the fact that they were sent to Dallas on the final year of their rookie deal. That means they have a decent amount of NFL experience without a huge cap hit. It also means the Cowboys have to act quickly to decide if they want to extend each of these players.

With Porter, he's focused on proving himself on the field with reports saying that Porter is not looking for an immediate extension. That doesn't mean Jerry Jones wouldn't be willing to make a deal. While on 105.3 The Fan, Jones said he wants to keep Porter long-term, but added that it "takes two to tango here."

Cowboys still have decision to make with George Pickens

Dallas Cowboys' George Pickens reacts during the game against the Ravens. | REUTERS

Both Porter and Jones were traded to Dallas in the final year of their deal this season, which was the case with Pickens in 2025. The Cowboys had a similar approach with Pickens, but never came to terms with him on an extension. Instead, they used the franchise tag to keep him around.

There were concerns that this could lead to some problems, especially since Pickens is represented by super agent David Mulugheta, who is the same agent who orchestrated the Micah Parsons exit last year.

Thankfully, Pickens was up to the challenge of playing on the tag and proving he deserves a long-term deal. That's a good sign considering Porter is also represented by Mulugheta. Perhaps the temperature will have cooled enough that Jones and the high-profile agent can figure out a way to keep Porter around for more than just this season.

Broderick Jones' status still up in the air

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As far as Jones is concerned, there's no way to tell if the Cowboys are interested in keeping him beyond this season. There was a belief that he could push Terence Steele for the right tackle job, but entering Week 4, there's been no sign of that happening.

If Jones spends the entire year as a reserve, he may be more interested in testing the market to see if there's a better opportunity for him.

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