Asked this week if he’ll be playing at some point, Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. told reporters, “Yeah, definitely.”

He wasn’t asked to specify whether that would be with the Steelers or a new team.

As Porter’s contract impasse with the Steelers extends to a third week — and, potentially, a third missed game on Sunday due to “conditioning” — more teams reportedly are reaching out to Pittsburgh about a possible trade.

Last week, the official word from ESPN was that the Steelers had received no “serious inquiries” about Porter. PFT thereafter reported that at least one team has called.

Now, ESPN reports that a “handful” of teams “have begun making inquiries” about a possible trade for Porter. The Steelers reportedly “would be willing to listen,” but they would want a “strong compensation package.”

That’s where a wacky situation gets even more out of whack. If the Steelers want a lot for Porter (we’ve heard it could be as much as a first-round pick or a second-round pick, plus a third-round pick), why won’t they just pay him something closer to what he’s seeking? For the interested teams, the challenge becomes giving the Steelers what they want for Porter while also figuring out a new deal with Porter.

The new report identifies the Lions and Cowboys as teams that have called the Steelers.

Dallas would be an interesting destination, given that Porter is represented by the same agent (David Mulugheta) who represents former Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons. After an ugly contract negotiation, during which Cowboys owner and G.M. Jerry Jones disrespected Mulugheta by pretending not to know who he is, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers once it became clear that Parsons would not play without a new contract.

The trade deadline arrives in 44 days, on the Tuesday after Week 9. The sooner a trade happens, the faster the Steelers and Porter extricate themselves from a situation that gets more awkward by the day. Porter clearly isn’t playing because he doesn’t have a new contract, and the Steelers have painted themselves into a corner with their outdated internal rule that new contracts won’t be done after the regular season starts.