Steelers Can't Trade Joey Porter Jr. Now

It's not the right time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to get a deal done for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Yes, teams have interest. Yes, there are calls happening. But this team has bigger needs and goals than acquiring a draft pick for a top player, and they shouldn't be changing course because things aren't going smoothly.

A few weeks ago, trading Porter Jr. made a ton of sense for the Steelers. This team had capable cornerbacks in Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr., and looked like a defense that didn't need to rely on Porter Jr. being out there.

After playing the Cincinnati Bengals, everything changed. Samuel Jr. was benched for rookie Daylen Everette, and the team realized quickly that they need another strong option on the outside opposite of Dean.

That they needed Porter Jr. back.

Now, Porter Jr. is practicing at full capacity. With a short week before taking on the Cleveland Browns, there's a real chance Porter Jr. can play for the Steelers for the first time this season.

That's what the Steelers need the most right now.

Not the Time for a Trade

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have called the Steelers about trading for Porter Jr. There are rumors floating around about other teams reaching out as well. Those calls will continue, and the interest in Porter Jr. will only grow as the trade deadline gets closer.

This team is sitting in first place of the AFC North, though, with an opportunity to take a decent lead early in the divisional race. Right now, Pittsburgh is a playoff contender and a team that seems to just be figuring itself out.

If there's hope of being a contender, it's not the time to move on from a key piece of your defense. One that you'll probably need to beat teams with strong passing attacks. Which is pretty much all of the teams you'd play in the postseason, if you got there.

So now, the Steelers shouldn't be trading Porter Jr. right now. Things can always change, and if they fall off between now and Week 8, everything changes.

Team President Art Rooney II said it himself, though: the Steelers don't believe in rebuilds. Their goal is to remain competitive at all times.

They're competitive this season. They have a real shot at winning the AFC North again. And with Porter Jr. on the verge of returning to the field for the first time under Mike McCarthy, it's much more important to see how things play out with their star cornerback in the starting lineup than to find out what they can get in return for him.

It's time to hold onto Joey Porter Jr. At least right now.