Joey Porter Jr. trade grades: Who won Cowboys and Steelers deal?
Joey Porter Jr. trade grades: Who won Cowboys and Steelers deal?
Charles Curtis, For The WinThu, October 1, 2026 at 11:01 AM UTC
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It felt like only a matter of time until the Pittsburgh Steelers dealt talented cornerback Joey Porter Jr. ... and maybe only a matter of time until Jerry Jones was the one to deal for him.
That happened late on Wednesday night, with Porter going to the Dallas Cowboys. Contract negotiations between Porter and the Steelers stopped and Porter nursed a back injury, and now the Cowboys get back an upgrade in the secondary when he returns.
So who won or lost this trade? What are the details? As always, we're handing out grades to both sides and filling you in on the return:
Cowboys and Steelers trade details
Cowboys get: CB Joey Porter Jr.
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Steelers get: 2027 sixth-round pick, 2028 second-round pick
Cowboys trade grade
Like I said above: As soon as Porter's contract dispute wasn't resolved, it felt like the Cowboys would come swooping in. The cost is decently high with a 2028 second-rounder, but Dallas gets back a much-needed upgrade on defense. Porter can give help to a team that gives up yards by the bunch.
The question now is: Will they give Porter the contract he's asking for? And how does that affect others waiting for big deals (see: Pickens, George)? Jones might have seen the flashy upgrade first before thinking long-term, but maybe he thinks Dallas is closer to contending than others do. GRADE: B
Steelers trade grade
You know the deal. If you're going to lose a player for nothing, you trade them for something before that happens. And there's a school of thought that Porter isn't as good as he seems on paper. So if all of that is the case? Pittsburgh wins here with a return for a player who might have held out after his back injury healed. A second-round pick can turn into a Porter replacement very easily. GRADE: B+
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Joey Porter Jr. trade grades: Who won Cowboys and Steelers deal?
Source: “AOL Sports”
