FRISCO, Texas — The wheeling and dealing continues for the Dallas Cowboys. After falling to 1-2 on the season following a heartbreaking loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Rio, inclusive of a 26-yard reception allowed to Zay Flowers that set up the game-winning field goal, the front office pulled the trigger on something huge, namely, acquiring cornerback Joey Porter Jr. in a blockbuster trade.
In one fell swoop, the son of Steelers' legend Joey Porter Sr. went from enjoying a late movie in a theater at 11 p.m. ET to getting the call he'd been traded to the Cowboys, swiftly leaving the Brad Pitt-led film and calling his father and family while he packed for an early flight.
And his father was very supportive, "focused" on his son's mental state, and the latter also confessed Joey Porter Sr. and plenty in the Porter family are actually lifelong Cowboys fans — quiet as that has been kept until now.
He landed in the Metroplex at 8 a.m. CT, sleepless but wide awake, and was on the practice field only 5.5 hours later after passing his physical and meeting with head coach Brian Schottenheimer. defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his new teammates.
Well, not every teammate is new, because he played in Pittsburgh with George Pickens and Broderick Jones, the previous two trade acquisitions from the Steelers — the three fully embracing their surreal reunion in Dallas.
"I am blessed. I am excited," Porter said. "I called my people and they were excited with me — new chapter, new beginnings, and I'm ready. …[George Pickens and Broderick Jones] told me I am going to love it here — the team, food, and culture. … They accepted me with open arms and I'm excited about that. So man, let's get to work."
As for the back tightness that kept him out of the first three games this season in Pittsburgh, Porter says he is good to go, and Schottenheimer confirmed that news by noting "he's moving around well", a hint at the growing possibility he might take the field against the Houston Texans with the goal of avoiding a 1-3 start to the season.
"I'm feeling good," Porter said. "I'll talk to the guys. I mean, I just got here today, so we're just trying to take things day by day, and if everything looks good, then I should be out there."
Schottenheimer noted that if Porter plays, he'll have "a specific package" (read: pitch count) and, not so coincidentally, the last time the former second-round pick took the field was in the 2025 Wild Card Game against, guess who, the Texans, when he was tasked with locking down two-time Pro Bowl receiver Nico Collins.
Porter understood the assignment, and then some.
Wondering how he and Collins performed against each other ahead of their next potential matchup — Collins returning to practice this week to likely face the Cowboys? It wasn't pretty for the Texans' superstar wideout, that much is true.
Nico Collins vs. Joey Porter Jr. (2025 WC):
- 18 matchups, 5 targets, 2 catches allowed, 17 yards allowed, 4 tight windows, 12 (66.7%) man coverage
Joey Porter Jr.'s statline from 2025 WC vs. Texans:
- 35 snaps, 7 targets, 3 catches allowed, 26 total yards allowed, 0 TDs, 2 PBUs
"I feel like I played well last time I played them, in the playoffs," he said. "So, now, the first time I'm suiting up, well, hopefully suiting up, it will be against them. That would be ideal. I'm pretty used to their scheme and what they want to do with [Nico Collins]. I think I could be a matchup for that.
"... I'm a lockdown player at the end of the day. I'm a ball player that could get anything done that the coaches need from me, and I'm gonna do whatever I need to for my teammates. I'm really just excited, and I'm really just trying to hold my smile back."
The same was true of both Schotteheimer and the usually neutral Parker, the latter beaming over the acquisition and also confessing he scouted Porter for the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, adding to his own personal excitement for finally being able to get his hands on him only a few short years later in Dallas.
The addition will likely challenge Parker to adapt his scheme to fit the fact Porter is an elite man cover corner, and it doesn't sound as if that'll be an issue — Parker taking to the podium on Thursday to declare "a player like him will be matched up appropriately", not wanting to show his hand but hinting at an evolution in the scheme that will likely take place.
But, for his part, Porter says just put him on the field and he'll take care of the rest.
"They're telling me I could fit in any scheme," he said of his early conversations with the Cowboys. I love to hear that from my coaches and players. Once they told me that, I'm all ears. I am ready to go."
