Cowboys acquire Joey Porter Jr. after Steelers lower trade price

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team negotiated a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. that only materialized after the Steelers reduced their asking price. Initially, the Steelers sought compensation that the Cowboys deemed excessive, but the deal was eventually settled for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.

"Early on the price was a little hefty for us, then it got to a point where we could deal with it," Jones told 105.3 The Fan.

Jones noted that the Cowboys anticipate Porter could become a free-agent after the season, but the inclusion of a 2028 compensatory pick would offset the loss of the second-round selection. He explained that the trade structure was designed to protect the team in case Porter departs.

"We had to have that trade make sense if Joey left after this year. That's why the 2 in ’28 matches up with a compensatory pick," Jones said.

The Cowboys consider the final terms appropriate even if Porter remains with the team only for the remainder of the season.