While everyone was sleeping on Wednesday night, Dallas Cowboys owner and general managerJerry Jones was making some major moves. Dallas made a late-night splash by making their latest trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, acquiring star cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Porter now joins a defensive unit that has struggled throughout September, ranking No. 30 overall in total defense, along with a secondary that has been plagued by injuries.
Not only does Porter bring some much-needed depth, but he brings the talent that Dallas’ secondary desperately lacks at cornerback. He is an immediate upgrade to the Cowboys’ cornerback room and causes a minor reshuffling of the depth chart that immediately looks better on paper.
Throughout his first three years in the league, Porter has started 41 games, recording 165 total tackles, 31 passes defensed, three interceptions, and three tackles for a loss.
Porter will be arriving at The Star on Thursday to complete a physical and finalize the trade, which will determine whether he can suit up for the Cowboys immediately in Week 4 against the Houston Texans.
A closer look at the updated Cowboys’ depth chart and cornerback room can be seen below.
DaRon Bland has one starting cornerback job locked down in Dallas, but the Cowboys have struggled to find a starter to pair with the former first-team All-Pro. Through the first three weeks of the season, Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel Jr. have both earned starts.
Unfortunately, Durant is set to miss multiple weeks with a hamstring strain, while Revel hyperextended his right knee in the team’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Rio. That leaves a great opportunity for Porter to jump right into the starting lineup when he is back up to speed after missing the first three weeks of the season with a back injury.
Here’s a look at the current Cowboys cornerback room:
LCB: DaRon Bland, Caelen Carson
RCB: Joey Porter Jr., Cobie Durant (OUT), Shavon Revel Jr. (QUES), Ameer Speed
NICKEL: Caleb Downs
The addition of Porter immediately boosts the level of talent in Dallas’ secondary. And if he Porter can return to the level he has performed at earlier in his career, his arrival will prove to be a steal for Dallas.
He also provides more flexibility in the defensive backfield for Christian Parker. With Bland and Porter holding down the outside cornerback positions, Durant can slide into the nickel role when healthy, which would allow Downs to spend more time at safety where the team is also incredibly thin after Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke were sent to injured reserve.
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