news-engine

The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for an all or nothing 2026 season. Aaron Rodgers plans to retire after the season and will want to make the most of his last dance in the NFL. Naturally, that should lead the Steelers to want to surround Rodgers with as much talent as possible. But in a shocking twist, one Steelers defender could soon be on the move. NFL insider Jordan Schultz broke the news that multiple NFL teams view Porter Jr. as a potential trade target. “Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. is a name multiple teams around the NFL have wondered about as a potential trade target, per sources,” Schultz reported on Friday. “JPJ is in the final year of his rookie contract, and with where the CB market is, teams have wondered if Pittsburgh could ultimately be open to a move with the Pro Bowl caliber corner.” Reading between the lines, it seems like Porter Jr. does not want to play in 2026 without a new contract. He is on the final year of his rookie contract and should want to get in on the booming cornerback market. Remember, Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon got a four-year, $132 million contract on August 15th. Witherspoon reset the market, establishing a $33 million per year threshold at the top. Porter Jr., as well as Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez, will want to top that figure when they get paid. Could this contract situation be enough to convince Pittsburgh to trade Porter Jr.? And if so, which teams might want to take him on? Three teams stand out as excellent trade destinations for Porter if the Steelers decide to deal him. Could Joey Porter Jr. be the final defensive piece for the Cowboys? The Cowboys entered the offseason determined to rebuild their defense, and that's exactly what they've done. Dallas hired a new defensive coordinator, traded up for Caleb Downs, and added multiple pieces on the defensive side of the ball. Jerry Jones recently admitted that he would make additional moves to improve the Cowboys roster. Perhaps that could lead Dallas to pursue a big trade for Porter Jr. There is no question that Porter Jr. would be an upgrade over Cobie Durant and DaRon Bland on the outside. Adding an elite cornerback like Porter Jr. would immediately give Dallas a strong CB1 and incredible depth at the position. Dallas, unlike other teams on this list, are a fearless organization that could attempt a big trade before the regular season. But the limiting factor for the Cowboys could be their tight salary cap in future seasons. They are already in the red for the 2027 season, so it is hard to imagine them being able to afford another big-money contract. Still, don't count the Cowboys out of the Porter Jr. sweepstakes if he truly becomes available. The Lions could use a cornerback like Joey Porter Jr. more than anyone else Detroit needs to add talent at cornerback more than perhaps any other team in the NFL. The Lions desperately want to win the Super Bowl but they do not possess a perfect roster for the job. At least on the defensive side of the ball. Both of Detroit's top safeties, Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, are injured and may not be available to start the season. On top of that, the Lions cut Terrion Arnold following his recent legal troubles. Simply put, the Lions are absolutely starving for talent in their secondary. Could that lead them to acquire a player like Porter Jr.? On one hand, Detroit is the perfect team to pick up Porter Jr. as a one-year rental. If Porter Jr. is content to play on a contender, he could increase his stock before entering free agency in the spring. In that scenario, both sides could come out on top of in a trade. However, the contractual angle makes this more difficult. Would Porter Jr. be happy with a trade that does not immediately result in a new contract? After all, that appears to be his issue with Pittsburgh in the first place. Cost is another big barrier. The Steelers may ask for a premium draft pick, maybe even a first-round pick, in exchange for Porter Jr. There's no denying that Porter Jr. and the Lions would be an excellent match. Unfortunately, it seems extremely unlikely that Detroit would jeopardize their future to go all in on any player, even one who could immediately elevate their defense. Would Joey Porter Jr. be attractive to a rebuilding team like the Dolphins? It is only nature to zoom in on contending teams in trade situations like this. But that doesn't mean a rebuilding team couldn't get involved. The Dolphins have needs all over the roster, so of course a starting cornerback would be an excellent addition. Miami is the beginning stages of a rebuild under Jeff Hafley, a former defensive coordinator. He could easily prioritize building Miami's defense before finishing the offense. That could make a player like Porter Jr. quite appealing to Miami's coaching staff. The Dolphins already invested a first-round pick in Chris Johnson, But he projects to play mostly in the slot while also being cross trained to play on the boundary. If the Dolphins did add Porter Jr., he would immediately become their CB1 on the outside. And give themselves an excellent pair of cornerbacks to build around. Just like with Detroit, the price could be tricky. Miami doesn't have any extra draft picks like this past offseason. The Dolphins probably don't want to move their 2027 first-round pick, instead giving themselves a chance at a franchise quarterback. That being the case, they may not be able to offer enough to pry Porter Jr. away from PIttsburgh in the first place. Perhaps the Dolphins could dip into their future picks to put together a trade package for Porter Jr.