Joey Porter Jr. is officially a Dallas Cowboy, closing out a wild saga that saw the cornerback miss the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first three games this season because he couldn’t get a contract extension this offseason. The full details on the trade, as reported by Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, confirm what many might have feared, and it’s not exactly a haul that screams “victory” for the Steelers.
That Trade Package For Porter Jr. Is Less Than Ideal, To Put It Mildly
Let’s break down the return for Pittsburgh, because it’s pretty eye-opening. The Steelers are getting a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. Yeah, you read that right: a sixth-rounder *next* year, and then you have to wait until *2028* for the second-rounder. The Cowboys, on the other hand, walk away with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. It’s hard not to look at that and wonder what exactly the Steelers were thinking, or if their options were just that limited after Porter’s holdout. The source itself calls the return “less than ideal” and acknowledges that “it’s hard to not be disappointed” by not even getting a high-quality pick in the 2027 draft to show for it.
What’s Next For The Steelers With That Pick?
So, the Steelers have a 2028 second-round pick. The article suggests this pick “can be used as ammunition to trade up for a quarterback should that be the route they opt to go.” It’s an interesting thought, but it’s also a pick that’s two years away, leaving a lot of time for things to change. Regardless, the lingering feeling is one of disappointment for how this entire situation wrapped up. With Porter gone and the return being what it is, the Steelers’ future hinges on how they manage to leverage that distant pick, or what moves they make to address their roster in the immediate future after losing a player of his caliber.
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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