The Cowboys don’t just have their own season to watch this fall. They’ve got draft stock tied up in three other teams, and Week 4 gives Dallas a direct shot to nudge one of those picks in the right direction.
That’s the one in Houston.
Dallas owns the Texans’ 2027 seventh-rounder from the Nate Thomas trade a month ago, and while it’s a late pick, it matters more now than it normally would. The Cowboys are already down to just four picks after the Joey Porter Jr. trade, so even a seventh has more weight than usual. With Dallas and Houston meeting head-to-head, the Cowboys can actually help shape the value of that selection on the field.
It’s a useful angle in a season that has already gone sideways for both Texas teams. Dallas is 1-2 after an all-time collapse against the Ravens, blowing a chance to win and then failing to hold what should have been an overtime finish because of late-game mistakes.
Houston has been worse at 0-3, a rough start for a team that entered the year as a projected AFC contender. The Texans stayed close against Buffalo and Indianapolis, but they were completely outclassed by the Bengals at home.
Green Bay is another team Dallas has a stake in, though that situation is a little more complicated. The Cowboys own the Packers’ first-round pick, but the better of Green Bay’s or Dallas’ pick goes to the Jets from the Quinnen Williams trade. Even so, if Dallas’ own season keeps going the wrong way, a Packers slide would at least give the Cowboys another draft asset trending upward.
That’s why Tampa Bay’s visit to Green Bay matters. Baker Mayfield is out, which cuts deeply into the Bucs’ chances. Bears quarterback Case Keenum gave backup quarterbacks a little extra credibility with his performance last week against the Eagles, but undrafted Jalon Daniels would still be staring at a mountain of long odds if he can pull off the upset in Tampa.
A Packers loss would do more than ding their record. It would add to the pressure already hanging over Green Bay, and the Cowboys are set to face them in Week 6. Both teams are sitting on the edge of NFC relevance right now, and a stumble against Tampa could leave the Packers in a much rougher place by the time Dallas shows up.
The Steelers are part of the picture too, and their 2027 fourth-round pick gives Cowboys fans another reason to keep an eye on the AFC. Pittsburgh opened with some uneven performances, but last week’s division win over the Bengals gave them a needed boost. They head to Cleveland tonight trying to keep that momentum alive in an AFC North where every team is 2-1, even the Browns.
Cleveland has won two straight, and Deshaun Watson is finally drawing attention again for the right reasons. For Dallas, though, the bigger picture stays the same: every result involving Green Bay, Houston, and Pittsburgh carries draft consequences. And this week, the Texans are the team the Cowboys can affect most directly.
In Other News...
Cardinals Rookie Back Is Giving Fans A Real Draft Debate
As October arrives, this rookie class is still waiting for a true breakout at quarterback, but the early returns at other spots have been more encouraging. Around the league, a handful of first-year players have already carved out real roles, from Jets tight end Sadiq to Cowboys linebackers Barham and Reese, while running back Jeremiyah Love and linebacker Trotter have also started to make their presence felt for their teams.
For Dallas, the most relevant takeaway is how quickly some of these rookies are forcing coaches and fans to pay attention. The Cowboys have already seen promise from Barham and Reese on defense, and the broader draft conversation is getting harder to ignore as more first-year players keep stacking good weeks. With so many early impressions still forming, the rookie debate is just starting to sharpen for teams that value immediate impact. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Face An Early Gut Check As Doubts Start Growing
The Cowboys head into Week 4 with more than just another AFC South test on the schedule. A trip to face the Texans brings injury questions on both sides, but Dallas is dealing with a particularly uneasy situation in its secondary while the offense is also drawing fresh scrutiny over Brian Schottenheimers play-calling.
For a team trying to steady itself early in the season, this is the kind of matchup that can sharpen the conversation fast. Dallas is already managing multiple key absences on defense, and the pressure only grows when the offense does not look as comfortable as it should, making Sunday a useful early measure of where the Cowboys really are. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Ferguson Gets Pulled Into A Relationship Debate Fans Will Have Thoughts On
A little off the field banter has reached Jake Fergusons orbit after Haley Cavinder and Claire Kittle appeared together on a podcast and started comparing relationship styles. The conversation centered on a familiar old issue: whether couples should work through disagreements before going to sleep or let the argument sit until the next day. Claire Kittle made the case for not going to bed angry and keeping the peace with goodnight kisses, while Haley Cavinder said she prefers to sleep on it and revisit things later.
For Cowboys fans, it is one more reminder that Fergusons name keeps popping up beyond the box score during the early part of the 2026 season. He has already been part of Dallas passing game with receptions and receiving yards on the board, while George Kittle has been doing his usual work for San Francisco. The football side of the story is straightforward enough, but the podcast debate gives Ferguson another moment in the spotlight for reasons that have nothing to do with routes, catches or yards. [Read more 🡒]