The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be at a standstill as it pertains to cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The former second-round pick and the franchise failed to get a contract extension done ahead of Week 1, and the Steelers don’t negotiate contracts in season. Porter didn’t play in the team’s Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons, and it was reported by Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport that the Steelers would listen to trade calls for the rising star cornerback. In the 36+ hours since that report, at least one team has reached out.
Per Jeff Risdon, the Detroit Lions have been in contact with the Steelers regarding a potential trade for Porter.
”I can tell you that I know that the Lions have approached the Steelers,” Risdon reports. “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.”
In terms of what the Steelers are hoping to get in return, John Maakaron of Lions on SI reports that Pittsburgh would like as much as two first-round picks in exchange for Porter.
“League sources tell Lions On SI the Steelers are interested in potentially as high as two first-round picks,” Maakaron writes. “The starting point for a deal to be made is believed to be one first-round pick and a higher day two selection.”
The Indianapolis Colts traded a pair of first-round picks to the New York Jets in exchange for cornerback Sauce Gardner. However, he already signed an extension. Any team that would want to trade for Porter would also have to give him an extension, which would naturally cheapen the trade compensation i.e. Trent McDuffie only garnering one first-round pick, two 2026 Day Three picks, and a 2027 third-round pick. That said, Detroit is in a position where a lockdown cornerback could be the difference between making a deep run in the playoffs and a potential Super Bowl berth, which would be more than worth a first-round pick.
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