What A Steelers Trade-Up In 2027 NFL Draft Now Looks Like After Joey Porter Jr Move

At long last, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally made the decision to trade disgruntled cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The former second-round pick is being sent to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 sixth-round selection and a second-rounder in 2028. There will be mixed feelings about this move, especially because the better capital will not arrive until 2028. Overall, the relationship between the defender and organization became unrepairable. Now, it will be hard to judge which franchise was on the winning end of the deal until general manager Omar Khan gets to work with the capital he received in return.

Jerry Jones has not been afraid to do business with the Steelers in recent years. He sent a 2026 third-round and 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for George Pickens. Then, he passed along 2027 third and sixth-rounders for Broderick Jones and a Pittsburgh fourth. Fast forward to the eve of October, and Dallas threw another 2027 sixth in the direction of Khan and Co., to go along with a second in 2028 with Porter being the result.

The Steelers are now projected to have nine total selections in 2027. On top of that, an extra second could go a long way for Pittsburgh. It's no secret that the organization still might be searching for the quarterback of the future, and some criticizing the decision to accept this deal for Porter might want to take a step back and think about the possibilities.

Often times when a front office makes an aggressive move up in the first round of any NFL Draft, capital from more than just that year is used to get something done. While it was almost a decade ago, fans can take a look at what the Kansas City Chiefs did in 2017 to grab Patrick Mahomes. They leaped from the 27th spot to the 10th. The asking price was that 27th overall selection, a third-rounder in that same draft, and a first in 2028.

It's hard to predict where the Steelers will be once the 2027 NFL Draft rolls around, so diving into a more recent example also provides some kind of an idea of what it may take. The San Francisco 49ers went from the 12th spot to the 3rd in 2021 to take Trey Lance. They gave up the 12th, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, as well as a third in 2022. So, what can Pittsburgh expect to give up if they end up in the playoffs, or drafting in the late-teens?

For starters, the team's original first-round selection in 2027 will be swapped with the other franchise involved. Then, the Steelers have two third-rounders (one thanks to the Cowboys via the Jones deal). 

As far as 2027 goes, the first and third-rounders make sense — adding one of the sixths from Dallas could go a long way, too. After that, getting into the top-5 may be as simple as passing along a first-round spot in 2028, as well as one of the two 2028 second-rounders now in Khan's possession.

Again, it's hard to really pinpoint exactly what the Steelers will need to move way up the board. However, even if the team struggles and is just outside the top-ten, the 49ers' framework from 2021 provides some clarity. It's safe to say that Khan and Co. will have the ability to get aggressive if the opportunity presents itself. This 2028 second-rounder from the Cowboys in the Porter deal could be what eventually seals a deal in the future.

Steelers Accepted The 2028 Second For A Reason

Pittsburgh could have easily kept Porter on the bench and just accepted his antics for the remainder of the 2026 campaign. Injured Reserve (IR) was even an option. Instead, Khan took what he could get, but that was not without a strategy in mind. Recent history says moving way up the board on the first day of any NFL Draft requires capital in future years, and not just the current one.

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