NFL trade deadline day has arrived, and for the Dallas Cowboys, it’s the final shot to make a move that could help the roster in the second half of the season.
Jerry Jones has kept saying he’s willing to deal again after the Joey Porter Jr. move, but his tone has shifted lately. He sounded far less certain when he told 105.3 The Fan, "If it's substantive for sure... you don't have any idea until you have the meeting of the minds and it's done. At this point I don't see it,"
Even with that uncertainty, edge rusher is still the clear priority. The Cowboys need help there more than anywhere else, and the names floating around reflect that reality.
Myles Garrett is the dream swing, but the odds are long. Crosby has said he wants to remain with the Raiders, and reports indicate Las Vegas is not eager to move him.
Still, the Raiders have already dealt him once for a major package, so the door isn’t completely shut if someone makes an offer too strong to ignore. Dallas would have to put at least two first-round picks on the table, and it’s easy to see Jones being tempted by the idea of landing an elite pass rusher.
Even so, the sense here is that Crosby is probably staying put.
A more believable target is Sweat. Arizona is in a rough spot, the Cardinals are in a rebuild, and Sweat would cost far less than Crosby.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz recently reported that the belief is Sweat is open to a trade, though Schultz also noted it’s still unclear whether Arizona actually wants to move him. From the Cardinals’ side, it would make sense to keep stockpiling draft capital, especially if they think Sweat could lose value before they’re ready to contend again.
The issue for Dallas is simple: the Cowboys may need to overpay, and their pick stash isn’t exactly overflowing.
McDonald feels like the most attainable edge option if the Jets are willing to listen. He has reportedly asked for a trade, but rumors say New York doesn’t want to move him, and head coach Aaron Glenn has said that publicly as well.
If he does become available, he could come cheaper than Sweat, maybe even for a fourth-round pick. That kind of price tag might fit better with how Jones tends to operate than a massive swing for Sweat.
There’s also been plenty of chatter about Pickens, especially with Dallas struggling badly. But Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports the Cowboys have no interest in moving him.
Harris wrote, "The fifth-year pass-catcher and second-year Cowboy is playing this season on the franchise tag after the team elected not to discuss a long-term contract with him in the offseason. Despite trade rhetoric around the time of that decision being announced, the Cowboys never engaged in trying to send him away.
Seven months later, that strategy remains the same ahead of the deadline, according to multiple sources,"
That said, no one should completely dismiss the possibility of a team making an offer Dallas can’t turn down. We’ve seen enough around the league to know that can change everything.
Beyond edge rusher, the Cowboys could explore cornerback, safety or linebacker. Those spots aren’t viewed as desperate as long as injured players can make it back.
At cornerback, Dallas isn’t planning to bench DaRon Bland, even if his play has been rough. The team also has Joey Porter Jr. and Cobie Durant, which gives them enough cover if Porter can get past his ankle injury.
Safety is a little shakier. P.J.
Locke just went down with another concussion, and Jalen Thompson is still on injured reserve, though he is now eligible to return. Linebacker is another area worth watching because DeMarvion Overshown is hurt again, and the Cowboys clearly can’t count on him.
Dallas also seems to have cooled on Jaishawn Barham after he played only three snaps in Week 9.
Still, if the Cowboys do make a move before the deadline, edge rusher remains the most likely spot. The other positions are in play, but only as secondary possibilities.
Trade chances for Linebacker: 30%Trade chances for safety: 30%Trade chances for cornerback: 10%
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