Cowboys Land Porter Jr., Target Sunday Debut vs. Texans — SkimNews
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- Cowboys acquired Porter from the Steelers for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick — the third deal between the organizations since May 2025, following George Pickens and Broderick Jones.
- Porter said he "felt disrespected" and "undervalued" after the Steelers didn't extend him, but said he was at the movies watching Brad Pitt's "Heart of the Beast" when the trade call came.
- Porter is not on the Cowboys' injury report after a back issue; he said his back is "feeling better" and that sitting out Thursday in Cleveland was more his call, putting a Sunday debut against Houston within reach.
- The Cowboys' defense ranks 25th in points allowed (27.3) and 30th in yards (387) through three games, is one of four teams without an interception, and has just two sacks — with cornerbacks Cobie Durant (hamstring) and Shavon Revel Jr. (knee/ankle) banged up.
- Since 2023, Porter ranks 13th among defensive backs when targeted as the nearest defender, allowing a 56% completion rate (per Next Gen Stats), but has also drawn the most penalties by a defender in that span (36, including 14 pass interference flags).
- Defensive coordinator Christian Parker called Porter a "boundary eraser" and said his man-to-man skills won't require a difficult scheme adjustment, while Porter said creating turnovers is his "next step."
- Porter said he wants to finish his career in Dallas: "I'm down with it if they are," — though coach Brian Schottenheimer noted Pittsburgh's Pickens trade worked out, with Pickens posting career highs of 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
Why it matters: The Cowboys rank 25th in points allowed (27.3) and 30th in yards (387), have zero interceptions through three games, and just lost two corners to injury — Porter arrives with the league's 13th-best completion rate allowed as nearest defender since 2023 (56%, per Next Gen Stats), making him both a desperate need and a potentially immediate upgrade for a defense that has only two sacks to its name.
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