Joey Porter Jr. active for Cowboys days after trade, eyeing first action of season

Updated Oct. 4, 2026 11:57 a.m. ET

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was active for Dallas against Houston on Sunday just days after he was traded from Pittsburgh.

If he plays Sunday, it will be his first action of the season after he was inactive for the first three games while upset about his contract situation and dealing with a back issue.

Porter was acquired to boost a secondary that has been plagued by injuries.

The 26-year-old Porter, a second-round pick out of Penn State in the 2023 draft, is in the final year of his four-year rookie deal.

The Cowboys agreed to the trade for Porter on Wednesday after earlier putting safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) on injured reserve with a designation to return. They also signed three defensive backs to their practice squad.

Safety P.J. Locke (torn plantar fascia) was already on injured reserve. He and Thompson were offseason acquisitions by the Cowboys as they revamped their secondary.

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