Fowler: Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) expected to play

Porter downgraded from full to limited on Friday and wound up with this status despite practicing all three days this week. Peculiar. Matthew Golden and Christian Watson would be better off on Sunday if Porter wasn’t able to go.

Porter’s bumpy 2026 campaign takes another surprising turn. The Cowboys’ new cornerback was set to expand his involvement this evening, but he is evidently unable to play due to an illness. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the Buccaneers’ offense is hamstrung by Baker Mayfield’s (thumb) absence.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on Friday, “we actually think Joey Porter will get snaps.” ESPN’s Todd Archer notes that prior to the mid-week trade, Porter was ruled out of Thursday’s game between the Steelers and Browns, saying his back was tight. He practiced the last two days “without issue.” Porter might be on a snap count this week, but it looks like he will play.

Porter Jr. missed the first three games of the year with a back issue. The Steelers also listed conditioning under his name on the injury report and even took the back injury off entirely at one point. All of that is to say that his absences were ultimately contract-related, which everyone knew in the first place. He was ruled out for Thursday’s game by Pittsburgh, but is eligible to play for the Cowboys this week if they can get him up to speed on the playbook ahead of Sunday’s game. He will likely play on specific packages if he does suit up, but that would still be an upgrade for a banged-up Dallas secondary.

Schultz added that the plan is to have him play first and “the contract will take care of itself from there.” That’s not exactly what Porter Jr. was looking to get out of this move, but it also points to the fact that his relationship with the Steelers was simply fractured beyond repair. Pittsburgh’s somewhat archaic rules around contract negotiations drove a wedge between them and their star corner. They don’t extend players during the season and, with rare exceptions, they do not guarantee money beyond the first year of a new deal. If Porter Jr. suits up next week and puts a few good games on tape, we suspect the Cowboys will feel comfortable giving him the contract he wanted from the Steelers.

In exchange for Porter, the Cowboys will send the Steelers a second-round selection in 2028 as well as a conditional sixth-round pick. Pelissero noted in his blog that trade talks between Dallas and Pittsburgh had picked up over the past few weeks, and the deal will soon become official. Porter has yet to play a snap in 2026 as he has dealt with a back injury, and also a contract dispute. The 26-year-old is one of the more talented corners in football, and Dallas has struggled considerably to stop the pass over the first three weeks. Assuming good health, Porter should be a vast improvement over what the Cowboys have gotten out of their corners to begin 2026.

Ramsey was listed as limited for all three practices this week. He is attempting to play through a broken wrist and will likely wear a cast or brace if he is active. As expected, Joey Porter Jr. remains out this week admist his contrat dispute with the team.

Though Porter has been listed on the injury report with a back issue to start the season, he was listed for “conditioning” to open this week. It’s no secret Porter is in a contract dispute and the Steelers have been getting trade calls on the 26-year-old. However, he is practicing fully ahead of a Week 4 Thursday matchup against the Browns and could certainly play. When asked if Porter will play, head coach Mike McCarthy said, “We hope so.” With Jalen Ramsey dealing with a broken wrist, Porter’s help will be welcome in the secondary.

Who could have seen this coming? Porter has yet to suit up for a game this season, and it’s due to either a back issue, his current contract situation, or a mixture of the two. Teams have inquired about his availability via trade, but no deal appears on the horizon for the 26-year-old corner. In addition to Porter, the Steelers also declared RB Rico Dowdle, QB Drew Allar, QB Willi Howard, RB Eli Heidenreich, DE Kevin Jobity Jr., and DE Gabe Rubio inactive for Week 3.

Schefter noted that a handful of teams have called Pittsburgh, so it’s likely more than just Dallas and Detroit. Porter has been locked in an ugly contract dispute with the Steelers since the early offseason, and the team does not negotiate extensions during the season. They also rarely guarantee money beyond the first year of an extension, which has been another sticking point for JPJ’s camp. Per Schefter, the Steelers are willing to listen to offers but want a “strong compensation package” in return. Porter is questionable for Week 3 with a back issue, though the team is simply calling it a matter of conditioning, casting doubt on the validity of Porter’s supposed injury. He has yet to play this season.