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It’s clear that the Detroit Lions’ secondary needs some critical help following their Week 1 roller coaster matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
The Lions built up a 21-0 lead before the Saints mounted a valiant comeback effort, knotting the score. Ultimately, it was the Lions who pulled out a 31-30 victory in overtime after the Saints missed a pair of opportunities that would have won them the game.
That being said, Detroit’s performance wasn’t exactly encouraging, especially heading into hostile territory in Buffalo for a matchup with the Bills.
The Lions have been linked to cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and now, it appears as though those rumors are gaining steam thanks to a new report from NFL Insider Jeff Risdon.
“I can tell you that I know that the Lions have approached the Steelers,” Risdon said on Monday. “I don’t know how receptive the Steelers were. I don’t know what the Lions offered, if anything. I know that they have talked. I got that from a reliable source from the Pittsburgh side. Will anything happen? I don’t know.”
The Detroit Lions Were Suggested As A Landing Spot For Joey Porter Jr. Earlier On Monday
Following their dramatic overtime victory over the Saints on Sunday in which their secondary experienced key struggles, another notable NFL insider floated the Lions as a potential landing spot for Joey Porter Jr., who is currently with the Steelers.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Lions have the infrastructure to make an acquisition happen.
“The Lions were looking for corner help even before they released Terrion Arnold in June. Detroit can spend the early weeks of the season evaluating how D.J. Reed, Keith Abney II, Roger McCreary and others play together,” wrote Fowler.
“Detroit has ample salary cap space — around $38 million as of Sunday, according to OverTheCap.com — but has committed more than $1 billion in extensions for star players, which could lead to a cap crunch very soon. Detroit also could decide to pay 2027 free agents Sam LaPorta (tight end) and Brian Branch (safety).
“Detroit likes man-coverage corners, and Porter definitely qualifies.”
Joey Porter Jr. Has Played His Entire NFL Career In Pittsburgh
Porter, who played college football at Penn State, was taken by the Steelers in the second round (33rd overall pick) of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh originally acquired the pick used to select Porter Jr. from the Chicago Bears in the trade that sent Chase Claypool to the Windy City. Porter signed a four-year, $9.61 million rookie contract.
After beginning his rookie season as a reserve, Porter quickly became a starter and finished 2023 with 43 tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception in 17 games. His performance earned him PFWA All-Rookie Team honors, although he was also flagged 12 times.
Porter became a full-time starter in 2024 and recorded 70 tackles, seven pass breakups and one interception in 16 starts. He opened the 2025 season with a hamstring injury that forced him to miss Pittsburgh’s second game; he ultimately appeared in 14 games.
So far in his NFL career, which has all been spent as a member of the Steelers, Porter Jr. has amassed 165 tackles (140 solo tackles) along with three interceptions and one sack.
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Michael Whitaker Michael Whitaker is a sports journalist based in metro Detroit with nearly a full decade of experience with publications like Clutch Points and The Hockey News. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University. More about Michael Whitaker
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