The Cowboys have already been busy on the trade front this offseason, and they may not be finished yet.
This time, though, the focus isn’t on the splashy outside names fans have been eyeing. Dallas still has its own roster decisions to make before Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, when it opens against the New York Giants on Sept. 13.
One spot worth watching is safety, where the Cowboys made a point of adding bodies. Dallas drafted Caleb Downs and signed Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke in free agency, a clear sign the team wanted a reset in that room.
That kind of overhaul puts Donovan Wilson on the radar. He has not been as effective in recent seasons as he was earlier in his Cowboys run, and with Downs, Locke and Thompson all looking like roster locks, plus Markquese Bell still in the mix, Wilson could find himself squeezed out by late August. If that happens, Dallas may try to move him before simply cutting him loose.
Tight end Jake Ferguson Schoonmaker also looks like a possible trade candidate. The second-round pick has not delivered much through three NFL seasons, struggling to make an impact as a receiver while not offering enough in the blocking game to cover for it.
Dallas has added two undrafted rookies, Michael Trigg and DJ Rogers, and Trigg in particular brings intriguing physical traits that could push Schoonmaker even further down the depth chart. Princeton Fant is also in the hunt for a backup role, and Schoonmaker is in the final year of his deal, making him a logical candidate to be shipped out if the Cowboys decide to hand one of the newcomers a shot.
Edge rusher is another spot where the numbers are starting to crowd the picture. Dallas traded for Rashan Gary, drafted Malachi Lawrence, still has Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Jaishawn Barham can also play edge.
That leaves little breathing room for Dante Fowler, Sam Williams or Damone Clark, and at least one of them could be moved. Williams and Fowler are both in the final year of their contracts, and both have shown more juice as pass rushers than Clark. Fowler posted 5.5 sacks in 2025, while Williams had 4.5 in 2023 before his torn ACL in 2024.
Clark is shifting to edge rusher ahead of his third season after an unsuccessful two-year run at linebacker. He has two more years left on his contract, including this one, and his versatility should help him.
Still, the Cowboys are already in solid shape at linebacker and need to keep any edge players who have shown they can get after the quarterback. Clark has not done that the way Fowler and Williams have, which makes him the most likely of the three to end up on the trade block unless he has a standout training camp.
In Other News...
Micah Parsons Family Just Reignited Cowboys Fans' Biggest Trade Frustration
The aftermath of Micah Parsons trade keeps circling back to Dallas, where every move made to soften the blow gets measured against the player who is now wearing green and gold. The Cowboys have tried to frame Rashan Gary and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence as the edge answers after shipping Parsons to Green Bay, but that kind of replacement talk only works if the next faces in line can stand up to the standard he left behind.
Garys arrival only sharpened the conversation because he and Parsons were teammates in Green Bay last season, a strange little overlap that tied the whole saga together. Now Parsons brother has jumped into the public debate, taking aim at Dallas attempt to patch the hole, and it has only added another layer of frustration for Cowboys fans still wondering whether the trade ever made sense in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Emmitt Smith Just Sent Cowboys Fans A Strong Javonte Williams Message
Javonte Williams has already given the Cowboys reason to believe he can be a steady part of the offense, and the early returns have been backed up by the numbers. Pro Football Focus had him popping up near the top of several rushing categories, a nod to the kind of consistent, efficient season he put together even while dealing with a shoulder issue that cost him a game and limited him in others.
So when Emmitt Smith got a first look at Williams during mandatory minicamp, it carried a little extra weight for a backfield still taking shape under Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams. The Hall of Famer liked what he saw and offered Williams a simple message to keep doing it, while the bigger question in Dallas remains how the carries will be divided and whether a second back can help the offense find another gear. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Castoff Suddenly Has A Real Shot To Matter Again
Training camp is bringing a different kind of opportunity for Markquese Bell, who has spent recent seasons carving out a meaningful role on special teams while trying to stay in the mix on defense. With C.J. Goodwin retired and the Cowboys sorting through a roster that has seen plenty of movement, Bell suddenly looks like one of the more relevant depth pieces on the board again.
The timing matters because the safety group has changed enough that Bell may not have the clearest path to snaps on that side of the ball. Dallas brought in Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, which makes special teams the likeliest place for Bell to win his spot and stick around, even if his defensive opportunities are harder to project right now. [Read more 🡒]