Interest in former Steelers' LB Porter grows

By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, March 4, 2007


The Dallas Cowboys have joined a growing number of teams interested in signing former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter.

Dallas and the Baltimore Ravens are the latest teams to contact Porter, agent Jeff Sperbeck said Saturday. Other teams inquiring about Porter's availability include the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.

"There's all kinds of levels of interest," Sperbeck said. Sperbeck said he expects to hear from even more teams because Porter didn't become an unrestricted free agent until Thursday, the day before the start of the signing period.

"It was a shock to most people that he came on the market. They hadn't done their research or studied him yet," Sperbeck said.

Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland are the Steelers' rivals in the AFC North.

"I think the teams in the division knew him. That's why they were able to move quicker," Sperbeck said. "Cleveland and Cincinnati are teams that had shown (early) interest."

Part of Baltimore's possible interest in Porter stems from the loss of outside linebacker Adalius Thomas, who signed with New England yesterday. Middle linebacker London Fletcher-Baker signed with Washington on the first day of free agency. Porter and Cato June (Indianapolis) are two of the highest-rated unrestricted free-agent outside linebackers still available.