The longer it takes the Steelers to tie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. down to a new contract, the greater the chance of him leaving Pittsburgh. The Detroit Lions are one team that should be salivating at the prospect of adding such a talented defensive back in his prime.
The odds still favor Pittsburgh hanging on to the former second-round pick. He's playing on the last year of his rookie deal in 2026, but the Steelers have the flexibility to use the franchise tag to keep him in town if they can't find common ground on a long-term deal. They also have issues in their secondary that would be severely tested by Porter Jr's departure.
The Lions are squarely in win-now mode. They also have a profound need at the cornerback position. It's easy to see why they might be interested in a player like Porter Jr. He also happens to play the game in a physical style that likely resonates with Detroit head coach Dan Campbell.
If the Lions want to pry Porter Jr. away from the team that drafted him, they will need to make a strong offer. The Steelers are not going to part with him at a discount just because of his contract issues. Pittsburgh GM Omar Khan will be looking for a haul in any potential Porter Jr. deal.
What a Lions trade for Joey Porter Jr. might look like
The Steelers spent a second-rounder on Porter Jr. and his stock has only increased during his time in the NFL. That's why they will require the Lions to part with a first-round pick to complete this transaction. Even that won't be quite enough to satisfy a Pittsburgh franchise that needs to start to lean into a rebuild.
That's why they will require the Lions to include an additional third-rounder as well. In this proposal, Detroit insists they put that obligation off for an additional year to slightly decrease the pick's value. Pittsburgh accepts the proposal because it's a relatively high second pick.
Predictably, Detroit will be hesitant to part with such premium draft assets. They will need a little sweetener back in the deal to defray some of the draft capital they're giving up. Getting a 2027 fifth-rounder pick can be useful for a Lions team that is doing everything they can to maximize their current Super Bowl window.
What are the chances of the Lions trading for Joey Porter Jr?
The chances of this sort of seismic trade happening so close to the regular season are pretty slim. Porter Jr. will need to act on his threat of sitting out regular-season action if he wants to find a way out of Pittsburgh.
The Lions will hesitate to make such a strong offer because they know Porter Jr. wants elite cornerback money in his new contract. He's more of a good player than a great player. He could certainly help a Lions secondary in need of a talent infusion this year, but he's not on the level of a Sauce Gardner who was trade last season.
It's a fun thought exercise, but there's a long way to go before the Lions and Steelers find common ground on a Porter Jr. trade. It might benefit both parties, but there are a lot of obstacles to overcome.
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