ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes the situation between the Pittsburgh Steelers and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. has reached a tipping point, potentially opening the door for a trade involving the San Francisco 49ers.
Fowler believes a Porter trade is realistic, and the cornerback would add value to a team seeking a starting-caliber cover man. The Steelers, however, don't appear interested in paying Porter at the top of the cornerback market.
"But Porter is on the short list of cornerbacks who can cover elite receivers in space, and that's worth a lot," Fowler wrote.
Porter has appeared in 47 games since the Steelers selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He has started 41 of those games, recording 165 career tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, 31 passes defensed, and one sack.
Fowler identified five teams he believes would be a good trade fit for Porter. In addition to the 49ers, he named the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets as potential destinations.
"The 49ers' cornerback rotation looked stout Thursday against the Los Angeles Rams, but seasons are long, and Porter would help the defense immensely," Fowler wrote.
"San Francisco has eight draft picks in 2027 and around $45 million in cap space. Porter opposite Deommodore Lenoir would form a stout 1-2 cornerback combo."
Renardo Green is currently starting opposite Lenoir and even intercepted reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford in Week 1. It was Green's second career interception.
"Renardo had such a good training camp," head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. "He had such a good offseason, starting back to Phase 1 and OTAs. He was, to me, one of the guys I was most excited about this year, just in terms of taking such a big step from the year before."
The 49ers appear to have faith in Green, which could lessen the urgency to surrender draft capital for a player like Porter. However, Fowler believes San Francisco's defense could benefit from the boost the Steelers cornerback could provide.
Porter would give the 49ers another proven option in the secondary and could form a formidable duo with Lenoir. For now, though, Green's strong start to the season gives San Francisco another reason to remain patient with its current cornerback rotation.
Mentioned in this article: Renardo Green, Deommodore Lenoir
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