Joey Porter Jr. trade doesn't solve Cowboys' biggest defensive problem

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Joey Porter Jr. trade doesn't solve Cowboys' biggest defensive problem

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Oct 1, 2026 11:33 AM ET

Silly, Dallas Cowboys. You traded for a cornerback when you needed a run-stopper.

On Wednesday, the Cowboys sent a 2028 second-round draft pick and a conditional 2027 sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for fourth-year CB Joey Porter Jr., who requested a trade after the team refused to extend his contract.

Porter slots as CB1 in Dallas' injury-riddled secondary. Corners Shavon Revel Jr. (knee) and Cobie Durant (hamstring) are both battling issues ahead of the Cowboys (1-2) Week 4 matchup against the Houston Texans (0-3) on the road (Fox, 1 p.m. ET). (Porter may play in that contest.) That solves one problem...but not the biggest one.

Joey Porter Jr. trade may not solve Cowboys' biggest defensive issue

"That's the most Cowboys trade I've ever seen," NFL analyst Gerald McCoy said Thursday on ESPN's "Get Up." "Your problem is not covering: Your problem is stopping the run."

“That’s the most Cowboys trade I’ve ever seen. Your problem is not covering; your problem is stopping the run.”@Geraldini93 shrugs after the acquisition of Joey Porter Jr. by Dallas pic.twitter.com/BJPyhmi8C6
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 1, 2026

McCoy's claim is correct. Entering Week 4, the Cowboys rank second to last in the league in rushing yards allowed (179.7 yards per game). That doesn't mean Dallas — tied for 14th in passing yards surrendered (207.3 YPG) — is an elite pass-coverage team.

Still, run defense remains the bigger issue, and Porter won't solve it. The CB — who had 52 tackles in 14 games last season — is a willing tackler, but he's not a defensive chess piece. Pro Football Focus credited him with just 35 snaps in the box (the area closest to the line of scrimmage) in 2025, compared to 45 snaps in the slot and 725 at outside corner.

Now, Porter could still be an impact player in Dallas. But if the run defense doesn't improve over the season, that deal would be less impactful. It could be a bust if the CB becomes a one-year rental.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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