The Cowboys made the move to shore up their secondary. The next question is whether Joey Porter Jr. can actually get on the field in time to help.
Dallas agreed to acquire the Steelers cornerback late Wednesday night, sending a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick back to Pittsburgh. It is the kind of deal that fits the Cowboys’ recent pattern: owner and general manager Jerry Jones has hinted multiple times that he would be willing to part with meaningful draft capital for an impact defender.
Porter gives Dallas a high-level starter on the outside whenever he is ready to play. That part of the equation is clear. The timing is not.
Porter was listed with a non-injury designation tied to conditioning and his back, and Pittsburgh ruled him out for Thursday night’s game against the Browns because of the back issue. CBS Sports reported he has only a chance to suit up for the Cowboys this week against the Texans, which leaves Dallas waiting on both the trade paperwork and the physical reality of his arrival.
That uncertainty matters because the Cowboys are not adding Porter to a healthy, settled secondary. They have already been dealing with injuries in the defensive backfield, including Cobie Durant’s hamstring and Shavon Revel’s knee and ankle issues. Dallas also has a short runway before Week 4: the team practices Thursday and Friday before traveling to Houston on Saturday.
Porter’s résumé is why the Cowboys were willing to pay for the possibility. A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2023, he has played in 47 career games and started 41. Over three seasons, he has 165 tackles, 31 pass breakups and three interceptions. Quarterbacks have averaged a 66 passer rating when throwing his direction, and in 2025 he allowed 35 receptions on 66 targets for 412 yards without giving up a touchdown.
For Dallas, the trade is both a reinforcement and a waiting game. The Cowboys have the player they wanted. They still have to find out when they’ll have him.