Is Joey Porter Jr. getting ready to play, or getting ready to be traded?

Is Joey Porter Jr. getting ready to play, or getting ready to be traded?     

Byline: Wilson Simons

    For the first time this season, Joey Porter Jr. is practicing like a player who is about to take the field. The question now is which field.

    The Steelers listed Porter as a full participant on Monday's injury report ahead of Thursday night's game at Cleveland, the first time he has been listed as more than limited this year. Porter is still on the report for conditioning as he works back from a back injury that has kept him out of Pittsburgh's first three games.

    There are two ways to read that. The optimistic version is that Porter is finally ready and makes his season debut against the Browns. The other version is that Pittsburgh is showing the rest of the league its most valuable trade chip is healthy.

    The timing makes the second reading hard to ignore.

    Trade chatter around Porter has gotten louder over the past 48 hours, and the list of interested teams is growing. Art Stapleton of NJ.com reported that the "whispers" connecting Porter to the New York Giants have grown since Sunday, adding that he would not be surprised if a deal happened. The Giants join Detroit and Dallas, both previously linked to Porter.

    Then Jerry Jones got on the radio.

    Speaking Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, the Cowboys owner was asked about Adam Schefter's Sunday report that Dallas had inquired about Porter. "We're right on top of it," Jones said. "The answer to your question is, yes, there's conversations going on." He added that the talks were happening at every level of the front office, then quickly qualified that he was "not specific to the player you just mentioned" — a disclaimer aimed at the league's tampering rules more than anyone in Pittsburgh.

    Dallas has reason to be aggressive. The Cowboys are 1-2 and have been hit with injuries throughout the secondary. They also have history with this front office, having acquired both George Pickens and Broderick Jones from Pittsburgh in the past year and a half.

    Porter, for his part, has said he never asked to be traded and that he would "definitely" play for the Steelers this season once healthy.

    The Steelers, meanwhile, have been fine without him. The defense closed out Sunday's 30-27 win over Cincinnati on a late strip-sack, and Pittsburgh sits at 2-1 and atop the AFC North. That gives general manager Omar Khan leverage. He does not need to sell, and he does not need to sell cheap.

    It also gives him options on the calendar. A deal could come before Thursday's kickoff in Cleveland, which would explain why a player who is suddenly a full participant might still not suit up. Or it could wait until the Nov. 10 trade deadline, giving Pittsburgh six more weeks to let the market build.

    What seems less likely is that nothing happens at all. Porter remains without the contract he wants, the Steelers have shown no sign of paying at the top of the cornerback market, and at least three teams are calling.

    If Porter is in uniform Thursday in Cleveland, it will be his first game of 2026. It may also be one of his last in Pittsburgh.

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