Top Potential Trade Packages and Landing Spots for Steelers' Joey Porter Jr.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Joey Porter Jr. could be trending toward a breakup.

Last week, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Porter has been seen as a "potential trade target" for teams as the cornerback enters the final year of his rookie deal and has yet to receive a contract extension from the Steelers.

Head coach Mike McCarthy didn't outright deny Porter's availability. When asked if he needs to see Porter—who has been absent since the first day of training camp with a back injury—on the practice field before playing him in Week 1, ESPN's Brooke Pryor) noted that McCarthy spoke about the "impasse" the team and its top cornerback had reached. 

Porter has maintained his desire to be compensated as a top-level corner, a position that has seen five players reach or eclipse the $30 million per year mark since the start of last offseason, including a record-setting four-year, $133 million contract for Seattle Seahawks star Devon Witherspoon.

While Porter probably won't reset the market, he's due for a major raise over the $4 million in base salary he's due in 2026. The corner has been a lynchpin in Pittsburgh's secondary since being drafted No. 32 overall in 2023. In that span, the second-rounder has appeared in 41 games—starting 41—and recorded 165 tackles, 31 pass defenses and three interceptions.

Because the Steelers have a longstanding organizational policy to not negotiate contracts during the regular season, time is running out for Porter and the club to hammer out a new deal. If the two sides can't reach a fair agreement—which Spotrac pegs to be in the range of $23-24 million annually, although likely to run a good bit higher when the corner eventually signs—before the team's 2026 NFL season-opener on September 13, it could lead to a shocking trade.

Although trading Porter away represents a worst-case scenario for the Steelers, far more shocking events have happened in the NFL. With that in mind, let's highlight some potential trade packages and landing spots for Joey Porter Jr.

Chicago Bears

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Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 second- and sixth-round draft picks

Chicago Bears receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.

The Chicago Bears go into the 2026 NFL season with hopes of building on a promising 11-6 campaign. Trading for Joey Porter Jr. would greatly assist in that endeavor, adding a top-flight corner to a roster that nearly reached the NFC Championship Game last year.

After ranking bottom-five in total defense and allowing a whopping 32 touchdowns through the air last year, Chicago brought in several veterans—including projected starter Coby Bryant—to reinforce the safety position. While that should help shore up one of the weak points in the secondary, the club could still heavily benefit from adding a Pro Bowl-caliber corner.

The Bears do have one standout corner already in Jaylon Johnson, although he's maintained that 2026 is a contract year for him despite still having two seasons left on the four-year, $76 million deal he inked following a breakout 2023 campaign. With Johnson's future with the organization uncertain, Chicago's brass could get ahead of a potential disastrous situation by acquiring Porter and locking him up on a long-term extension.

The rest of the cornerback's room in the Windy City leaves something to be desired.

Tyrique Stevenson is serviceable when healthy but is now week-to-week with an injury. Rookie fourth-rounder Malik Muhammad II has potential to be an impact player, but is still a raw, developmental prospect.

Kyler Gordon's status is particularly concerning. Although he was a consistent starter for his first three years in the league, the 2022 second-rounder appeared in just three games last season and is set to open 2026 on the PUP list with a calf injury. It's an ailment that is reportedly frustrating the coaching staff and has led to a "standoff" per The Score's Matt Spiegel during an appearance on Fox 32 Chicago.

With so many question marks for this season and Johnson's status for 2027 and beyond already in doubt, Chicago should make the bold move to trade an upcoming second-round pick for Porter. A starting cornerback tandem of Johnson and Porter tandem would give the Bears a big leg up in what figures to be a brutally tough NFC North race and the team needs all the help it can get if it wants to successfully defend its title.

Green Bay Packers

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Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 second- and fifth-round draft picks

Green Bay Packers receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.

The Green Bay Packers are in the market for a new corner. According to Easton Butler of Packer Report, the club has inquired about the availability of several veteran defensive backs, a list that includes Kool-Aid McKinstry, Riley Moss and Joey Porter Jr.

Porter would be the splashiest acquisition Green Bay could make, but also the most impactful. He's a borderline Pro Bowler who can immediately slot into the starting lineup for an NFC North squad looking to make a leap in 2026 after back-to-back Wild Card round eliminations.

While Green Bay has a handful of solid veterans at the cornerback spot, none offer the same blend of age, upside and production that Porter provides.

The team's recent depth chart release showed Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon starting, with rookie second-rounder Brandon Cisse and Kitan Oladapo serving as backups. Porter represents a large upgrade and his presence alongside star safety Xavier McKinney would give the Packers one of the NFL's most formidable secondary units.

Nixon could potentially be included in a Porter trade as well, given ESPN's Rob Demovsky called him the most likely candidate to be released or dealt if Green Bay opts for a "high-profile move on cutdown day". Packaging him and a Day 2 pick would likely be enough to get Pittsburgh to move on from Porter if an extension can't be reached in the next few weeks.

Green Bay doesn't possess a first-rounder in the 2027 draft due to their blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons last year, but is sitting on a second-round selection and a pair of third-rounders. There's enough capital here to get a deal done for Porter, who could be a long-term building block in Titletown by signing a long-term deal shortly after arriving.

Miami Dolphins

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Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 third- and fourth-round draft picks

Miami Dolphins receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.

The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of a rebuild, but adding a star-caliber cornerback like Joey Porter Jr. could help expedite the process. The team is extremely thin in the secondary and is largely lacking impact veterans like Porter who could get the franchise trending in the right direction.

The 'Phins are set to head into the new season with 2025 fifth-rounder Jason Marshall Jr.—a backup on last year's squad—and JuJu Brents, another depth option who spent most of last season on IR, playing large roles alongside first-round rookie Chris Johnson.

The team has been shuffling the deck at the position throughout training camp, most recently parting ways with Nick McCloud and adding Ja'Onte' McMillan off waivers to bolster the position. It's clear that the team isn't satisfied with how the position is faring in the preseason, making a blockbuster trade for Porter a potential path forward.

While giving up draft picks, especially selections likely to fall towards the top of the order, isn't ideal for an organization that needs help at nearly every position, the opportunity to land a proven player of Porter's caliber may be too alluring to pass up.

New York Giants

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Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2027 second- and sixth-round draft picks

New York Giants receive: CB Joey Porter Jr.

The New York Giants have had a transformational offseason and seem ready to emerge as a contender again after some lean years, but their cornerback position still appears to be a bit shaky. Adding Joey Porter Jr. into the mix would massively improve the secondary and give Big Blue the elite defensive back it needs to contend with the talented NFC East wideouts it is set to come up against in 2026.

The G-Men head into the campaign with incumbent Paulson Abedo remaining a starter on the outside. Abedo largely failed to live up to the three-year, $54 million deal he signed last offseason, earning a paltry 58.4 grade from Pro Football Focus for his lackluster efforts. The prized free-agent pickup missed five games with injury and struggled when he was on the field—allowing a career-worst 66.3 percent completion rate in coverage.

Fellow veteran Greg Newsome II is projected to be New York's other starting outside corner, but there are legitimate concerns about his consistency after some up-and-down seasons. Rookie Colton Hood oozes potential and has flashed his upside during training camp, but tasking the inexperienced second-rounder with a large role this early could backfire.

Rather than hope Abedo and Newsome return to form and Hood comes out of the gate strong, the Giants could instead trade for Porter and instantly solidify the cornerback position.

Armed with a pair of Day 2 picks in the 2027 draft, the Giants could easily put a fair offer on the table for Porter's services. It's a bold move, but one New York shouldn't hesitate to make if it truly believes it's ready to return to Super Bowl contention at the start of the John Harbaugh era.