While everyone was sleeping Wednesday night, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was making some major moves. Dallas made a late-night splash by making its latest trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, acquiring star cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Porter now joins a defensive unit that struggled throughout September, ranking 30th overall in total defense, as well as a secondary unit plagued by injuries.
Not only does Porter bring much-needed depth, but he brings talent that the Dallas secondary desperately lacks at the cornerback position. He’s an immediate upgrade to the Cowboys’ cornerback room and causes a minor shakeup on the depth chart that immediately looks better on paper.
During his first three years in the league, Porter started 41 games, recording 165 total tackles, 31 passes defended, three interceptions and three tackles for a loss.
Porter will arrive at the Star on Thursday to complete a physical and finalize the trade, which will determine whether he can immediately join the Cowboys in Week 4 against the Houston Texans.
A closer look at the Cowboys’ updated depth chart and cornerback room can be seen below.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback depth chart
DaRon Bland has a locked-down starting cornerback position 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. both earned starts.
Unfortunately, Durant is expected to miss several weeks with a hamstring strain, while Revel hyperextended his right knee during 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 returns after missing the first three weeks of the season with a back injury.
Here’s a look at the Cowboys’ current 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 raises the talent level in the Dallas secondary. And if Porter can return to the level he played at earlier in his career, his arrival will prove to be a good deal for Dallas.
It also provides more flexibility in the defensive backfield for Christian Parker. With Bland and Porter manning 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 PJ Locke were sent to injured reserve.
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