The Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the Giants put the spotlight exactly where Dallas did not want it: on a defense that looked too familiar from last season. Sunday Night Football ended with the same uncomfortable feeling - this unit needs help, and fast.
That’s why the trade chatter is already starting to swirl around Dallas. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has linked the Cowboys to Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell as a possible target, with Tampa Bay also listed as a suitor.
“Campbell is also just 26 years old and under contract through 2028. With an annual salary of $19.1 million, he's on the pricier side, but he should interest contenders who need a cornerback,” Knox writes. “Potential suitors: Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
On paper, the fit is easy to see. Campbell could give Christian Parker’s secondary a boost at a time when the Cowboys badly need one. Cobie Durant and DaRon Bland are the current starters at corner, but Campbell’s upside as a shutdown option makes him a more intriguing piece if Dallas is looking for a real upgrade.
The Browns may not be eager to deal him, but the idea is at least plausible. Cleveland is staring at what looks like a lost 2026 season, and the team already paid Denzel Ward to stay for the next few years. That makes Campbell a name worth watching if the Browns decide to move off him.
The numbers from last season help explain why he’d draw interest. After joining Cleveland partway through the year, Campbell allowed an 84.8 passer rating when targeted, a strong mark that would play in just about any secondary.
For Dallas, the appeal goes beyond one rough night. Campbell’s age and contract make him the kind of cornerback who could fit beyond just this season, especially if the Cowboys aren’t fully sold on Durant or Bland as the long-term answer.
And after a Week 1 performance that could have looked even uglier than the 28 points allowed, Jerry Jones may already be thinking about a move. He hinted at a trade earlier this summer, and a cornerback upgrade would not come out of nowhere.
It’s still early, and a deal for Campbell feels more like a logical idea than a likely one. But after what Dallas showed against New York, the need for help on defense is impossible to ignore.
In Other News...
Former Cowboys Pass Rusher Returns With Something To Prove In Dallas
Dorance Armstrong is set to make his 2026 debut Sunday against the Cowboys, a familiar opponent for a pass rusher who spent years in Dallas before moving on to Washington. After serving a one-game suspension and working back from the torn ACL that wiped out most of last season, Armstrong enters the matchup with a fresh chance to reestablish himself in a game that still carries some extra edge for everyone involved.
Washington's staff has said it is confident Armstrong is ready to go, and the plan is to rotate him with the rest of the pass-rush group to keep his workload manageable. For Dallas, that means facing a former defensive end who knows the building, the personnel and the stage, even if the bigger question now is how much of Armstrong's old burst has returned after such a long absence. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones Just Raised The Stakes For Dallas' Shaky Defense
Jerry Jones didnt sound interested in pretending the Cowboys defensive performance in Week 1 was anything close to where it needs to be. The team owner acknowledged Dallas underestimated the Giants in the opener, and with Washington up next, he pointed to the defense as the area most likely to show a better version of itself in a game that already feels important for setting the tone of the season.
The challenge for Dallas is that belief and execution are two different things, and the defense has given plenty of reasons for skepticism already. Jones is framing the Commanders matchup as a chance to reset, but until the Cowboys actually string together a cleaner outing, every promise of improvement comes with a layer of doubt that the schedule will quickly test. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones May Soon Face A Cowboys Decision He Hates
Brian Schottenheimers second season in Dallas already carries the sort of early pressure that tends to come with this franchise, even if the Cowboys have historically shown more patience with head coaches than most. After going 7-9-1 in his first year, Schottenheimer watched the team open a new defensive chapter by moving on from Matt Eberflus and turning the unit over to Christian Parker, a change meant to steady a side of the ball that has been a major point of concern.
Instead, the defense stumbled in Week 1 against the New York Giants, and that is where the unease begins to creep in for a team that cannot afford another losing year. There is already speculation about Schottenheimers seat if the record goes the wrong way again, and for Jerry Jones, the uncomfortable part may be less about making a change than having to consider one at all. [Read more 🡒]