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The Detroit Lions have reportedly been in contact with the Pittsburgh Steelers about the availability of star defensive back Joey Porter Jr.
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According to NFL reporter Jeff Risdon, “The Joey Porter Jr. trade talks. I can tell you that I know that the Lions have approached the Steelers. I don’t know how receptive the Steelers were. I don’t know what the Lions offered, if anything. I know that they have talked. I got that from a reliable source from the Pittsburgh side.”
Porter Jr. is believed to be wanting a lucrative contract extension that is worth $30 million or more annually.
League sources tell Lions On SI the Steelers are interested in potentially as high as two first-round picks. The starting point for a deal to be made is believed to be one first-round pick and a higher day two selection.
In the season-opener, new head coach Mike McCarthy made the decision not to play the former 2023 second-round pick.
“It was my decision. My concern for Joey, obviously, is to get him to a spot no different than everybody else in training camp. The first players that go through that first ramp up period that are not ready to go, they don’t participate fully in a padded practice,” McCarthy explained. “So, I don’t really see this any different from that. Now, it is different that there is a business component to it. So that’s, really a whole other topic.”
In a recent list of trade fits, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler included the Lions along with four other teams.
As ESPN explained, “The Lions were looking for corner help even before they released Terrion Arnold in June. Detroit can spend the early weeks of the season evaluating how D.J. Reed, Keith Abney II, Roger McCreary and others play together. Detroit has ample salary cap space — around $38 million as of Sunday, according to OverTheCap.com — but has committed more than $1 billion in extensions for star players, which could lead to a cap crunch very soon. Detroit also could decide to pay 2027 free agents Sam LaPorta (tight end) and Brian Branch (safety).”
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Detroit’s secondary has faced heavy scrutiny for not being able to slow down the Saints in the season-opener.
After a 21-0 lead, the Saints were able to scratch and claw their way back to tie the hame.
Dan Campbell expressed postgame he was not too concerned about the play of the secondary and also noted the defensive needed to also make corrections.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/lions/onsi as Report: Lions Have Called Steelers About Joey Porter Jr. Trade .
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 12:52 PM.