The San Francisco 49ers are being considered as a possible trade destination for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. after the player and team reached what ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler described as a breaking point in their contract disagreement. The 49ers have played one game this season.
Porter, 26, was the final selection in the 2023 NFL Draft and has spent most of his life in the Pittsburgh area. He played college football at Penn State and saw his father, Joey Porter, play linebacker for the Steelers during part of his 11-year NFL career.
Fowler identified San Francisco as a potential fit because the 49ers have eight selections in next year's draft and $45 million available to spend. Those resources could allow the team to pursue a contract extension for Porter if a trade were completed. Further details about any negotiations or a possible deal were not provided.
The move would place Porter alongside Deommodore Lenoir in San Francisco's secondary. Fowler also pointed to that pairing as a possible two-cornerback combination, while Porter has developed a reputation as a leading press-coverage defender. Receivers completed 32 of 66 passes thrown in his direction, according to the report.
San Francisco's secondary was an area of difficulty last season. Renardo Green, who currently lines up opposite Lenoir, recorded a 48.5% completion rate against him after a strong second half of the season. The 49ers allowed 29 passing touchdowns last season, a total that placed them just outside the league's bottom five defenses in that category.
