Last year, once the Cowboys realized linebacker Micah Parsons wasn’t going to play without a new contract, Dallas traded him.
This year, the Steelers seem to have figured out that cornerback Joey Porter Jr. would not play without a new contract. And so they are marketing it.
According to multiple reports, the Steelers are sending Porter to the Cowboys.
Full terms have yet to emerge. The particular question will be whether the Cowboys will give Porter the contract he couldn’t get in Pittsburgh.
Dallas could opt to release him in 2026, with Porter making $3.924 million. They can then apply the franchise tag in 2027.
It’s hard to imagine the Cowboys coaching a player who apparently has no intention of playing until he gets a new deal.
The common link between Porter, a 2023 second-round pick, and Parsons is that both are represented by David Mulugheta of Athletes First. Mulugheta also represents receiver George Pickens, who was traded from the Steelers to the Cowboys in May 2025.
The Cowboys have not given Pickens a new deal. For 2026, they tagged it. For the receivers, the franchise tender is well below market value. It’s also about curves.
Much will be revealed in the coming hours. For now, the most important point is that the impasse between the Steelers and Porter has ended with Porter being sent to a new team.