The Detroit Lions have already reached out to the Pittsburgh Steelers about a potential trade for star cornerback Joey Porter Jr., just days after reports surfaced that Pittsburgh was open to moving him. This isn’t just some casual inquiry, folks; it’s a direct move for a player the Steelers are currently at a standstill with, and the asking price is absolutely bonkers.
Pittsburgh’s Eye-Popping Asking Price and Why Porter Is Available
Look, the Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. are stuck. They couldn’t get a contract extension done before Week 1, and Pittsburgh has a firm “no in-season negotiations” rule. What’s the result? Porter didn’t even play in their Week 1 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport dropped the bomb that the Steelers would listen to trade calls for their rising star corner, and it didn’t take long for teams to dial up. According to Jeff Risdon, the Lions have been in contact, though Risdon admits he doesn’t know how receptive Pittsburgh was or what Detroit offered yet. What we do know, per John Maakaron of Lions on SI, is what the Steelers *want*: potentially as high as two first-round picks! The absolute minimum starting point is reportedly one first-round pick and a high Day Two selection. That’s a serious haul they’re looking for!
What This Means For Detroit and the Cornerback Market
Let’s be real, two first-rounders for a corner is a premium price. You look at a guy like Sauce Gardner, who the Colts traded two first-round picks for from the Jets, but he already had an extension locked in. That’s a key detail here because any team trading for Porter would also need to give him an extension, which “naturally cheapens the trade compensation.” For comparison, Trent McDuffie’s deal only garnered one first-round pick, two 2026 Day Three picks, and a 2027 third-round pick. Still, for the Lions, a lockdown cornerback like Porter could legitimately be the difference maker between a deep playoff run and a Super Bowl berth. That kind of impact is worth a first-round pick, but two? It tells you everything about how highly the Steelers value Porter, even if they can’t agree on a contract.
This is a wild situation unfolding just days into the NFL season. The Steelers clearly aren’t messing around if they’re willing to move Porter for such a high price. Now, we wait to see if the Lions, or any other team, are willing to meet that demand. The next few days could totally reshape a contending roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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