It’s all about the numbers! Spotrac had projected Joey Porter Jr. on an upward trend. Think about a market value of $109.6 million on a four-year extension. Alas, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t see that kind of value in the player, and so, they had him pack his bags and shipped him off to Dallas.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Of course, none of it was quick or easy. The Cowboys deal materialized after contract negotiations between the Steelers and Porter ran through the offseason, but neither side decided to compromise. So, while Dallas seems like a better place for the player, is it really much different than Pittsburgh? I mean that from a contractual perspective.
Well, NFL insider Jordan Schultz can answer that. He wrote on X:
“Sources: The #Cowboys will not be immediately extending Joey Porter Jr. contract. Plan is to have him play and make an impact on a team that has Super Bowl aspirations in the NFC. Contract will take care of itself from there. JPJ gets a fresh, new start.”
Here’s the thing: It’s not like the Steelers did not have an offer for the player in the first place. They put forth a $27 million a year deal in front of him, but Porter was unhappy. That’s one of the reasons why the Steelers agreed to part with Porter. It goes without saying the assumption was that Dallas would have a new contract for him.
That’s not the case, as per reports. And there is a reason behind that hesitation…
According to NFL reporter James Palmer, the teams that explored a move for Porter ran into a costly double hurdle. They would have had to satisfy the Steelers’ asking price to acquire him and then meet his demands for a new deal worth at least $30 million annually.
Taken together, Palmer reported, the financial commitment proved too steep for interested teams. That’s when Dallas came up with a plan!
Dallas found a way to meet the Steelers’ second-round pick demand without surrendering that selection right away. The Cowboys’ pick will now come in 2028.
In exchange for the player, the Cowboys gave up a 2027 sixth-round pick and also a 2028 second-round pick. And the Steelers stand without a true CB1.
Interesting Fact: The Cowboys and Steelers have now made three trades with each other since May 2025. It began with the deal that sent George Pickens to Dallas.
It’s worth noting that Porter was placed on the PUP list earlier in August for a back injury. And when the regular season began, Porter stayed on the sidelines through the first three games. His presence was even scarce in the practice sessions. Nevertheless, he claimed that he’d play this season, but didn’t put a date on his return.
Despite that, he’s slated to earn $3.924 million on a $4,922,790 salary cap number in the 2026 season.
And Dallas absorbed the current base salary when they traded Porter in. There is a reason behind that move, too… or, would you rather prefer I say, a series of mistakes on Dallas’ end?
Well, Heavy’s Tony Adame pointed out that while the Cowboys have been working on making the defensive lineup better, they haven’t been able to manage the big-time contracts too well, especially when it comes to cornerbacks. They have made some massive mistakes.
He noted that in the past five years, the Cowboys gave a five-year extension worth $97 million to Trevon Diggs. But he didn’t deliver elite plays after the extension and played only 21 games in the past three seasons.
Meanwhile, Daron Bland got a four-year, $90 million extension ahead of the 2025 season. But the team hasn’t seen a suitable ROI on him. So, now the question is: Can Porter establish himself in Dallas?
What is Joey Porter Jr. bringing to Dallas?
The Cowboys know they need to bolster their defense after suffering disappointments back in the 2025 season. Well, they were around the bottom of the league when it came to defense. But owner Jerry Jones tried to address it this offseason by bringing in some talented names. However, things are still looking bad for the Cowboys.
They suffered an ugly defeat in the Week 1 game against the New York Giants. While they followed it up with a 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders, they suffered another defeat in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens.
To make things worse, Dallas even lost Cobie Durant, the starting cornerback, who injured his hamstring in Week 2. Furthermore, Shavon Revel Jr. hurt himself in the game in Rio de Janeiro against the Ravens. This is where Porter can come in handy.
Joey Porter Jr. has spent three seasons with the Steelers. And even though he has missed quite a few games, he recorded 165 tackles. He also caught three interceptions and returned them for 16 yards.
If the young star can conquer his lingering back injury and lock down opposing receivers, his fresh start in Dallas could evolve into the missing defensive piece for a legitimate Super Bowl run.