A holdout ends in Dallas
The Joey Porter Jr. standoff is over, and Pittsburgh is not getting him back. The Steelers sent the 26-year-old cornerback to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday night, according to multiple reports, closing a dispute that dragged through the entire offseason.
Porter wanted a contract extension. Pittsburgh never gave him one. A back injury then wiped out his preseason, and he sat on the Steelers’ injury report through the first three weeks of the 2026 season without playing a snap. He was already ruled out of Pittsburgh’s Thursday game against Cleveland when the deal came together.
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What each side gets
The Steelers collect a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. That second-rounder is the real return, and it tells you Pittsburgh held out for something close to market value instead of dumping a disgruntled player.
Dallas gets a proven starter. Porter started all 14 games he played last year and posted career highs with 14 passes defensed, along with 52 tackles, a sack and an interception. Across 47 career games and 41 starts he has 165 tackles, three interceptions and 31 passes defensed.
Why the Cowboys needed him now
At 1-2, Dallas has a secondary full of question marks. Cobie Durant missed practice Wednesday with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play Sunday against Houston. Shavon Revel Jr. picked up knee and ankle injuries in the previous game. Porter has not played this season, so how soon he is ready for Sunday is an open question, but the Cowboys clearly decided a corner who has been sitting out was better than the options they had.
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