While the Seattle Seahawks added cornerbacks just before the season began, Joey Porter Jr. wanted out of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the first few games of 2026, Seattle's CB group has been iffy, but the team can't acquire Porter now; he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday.
Part of the issue is that what Dallas gave Pittsburgh in return for the cornerback is something Seattle could have easily done. The Steelers received a 2027 sixth-round selection and a 2028 second-rounder. In next year's draft aloe, the Seahawks are projected to have as many as 11 picks, possibly 12.
And make no mistake that Seattle was worried about its cornerback group heading into the season, and should still be. Why else sign Trevon Diggs and Terrion Arnold in the days before final roster cuts needed to be made? Head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider looked at the secondary during the preseason and must have thought, "We can do better."
Seattle Seahawks miss out on Joey Porter Jr. as he heads to the Dallas Cowboys
Seattle's safeties were not great in Week 3's loss to the Washington Commanders, but at least that position had the excuse of playing two guys who were on the practice squad when the season began. Starters Julian Love and Ty Okada were injured and weren't available.
The cornerbacks, though, were a mixed bag, just as they have been all season. Thank goodness that Nehemiah Pritchett has been at his best level as a pro this season, because otherwise Seattle would be in real trouble. Josh Jobe, the team's presumed CB1, hasn't played like a top-flight corner.
He was particularly torched by Washington's Terry McLaurin, but Jobe has allowed a touchdown pass in each of the last two games and is on pace to allow 11 for the season. That is clearly not something the Seahawks want. Plus, in each of the past two games, Jobe has allowed a quarterback rating when targeted of at least 112.5. It was 152.1 in Week 3 while Washington had a backup quarterback.
For those who believe in such things, Jobe is currently ranked 55th among all cornerbacks this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Pritchett is 11th, and maybe he has turned the proverbial corner toward sustained goodness, but he is playing far better than he ever has, and one might wonder how long that will continue.
As opposed to the safety position, which will get quality players back from injury, what one sees with the Seattle Seahawks' cornerbacks is what they get. No help is on its way unless someone thinks Arnold or Diggs can do so. Neither of them has recently shown they are capable of consistent brilliance, though.
Joey Porter Jr., despite his obvious mercurial attitude toward the team that is employing him, would have immediately cured some of the Seahawks' ills. Sure, he hasn't played in 2026 because of an "injury," but according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Porter could play for the Cowboys as soon as Week 4. He obviously wasn't too badly hurt.
Would Seattle have been better with Porter Jr. this season (he has a career quarterback rating allowed of only 71.5, after all)? Likely. The Seahawks definitely had the draft capital to acquire him. Not doing so might turn out to be a bad non-move that John Schneider will wish he had made.
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