The Cowboys are in a spot where another trade could make real sense, and the deadline clock is already ticking. With 17 days left before the cutoff, Dallas is still looking for answers after a rough two-week stretch that exposed problems in the run game and up front in pass protection. Even with the defense showing a little more life against the Green Bay Packers, it remains a concern.
That’s why the latest trade rumor is worth watching. According to The Athletic, Dallas could pursue Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, a 24-year-old Pro Bowl selection who sits near the top of the deadline market.
Daniel Popper ranked Tuipulotu No. 5 on his NFL trade deadline big board and pointed to the Chargers’ record as a reason they could be open to dealing him. “After an 0-6 start, the Chargers should be selling,” Popper wrote.
Popper also described Tuipulotu as a young edge defender with a well-rounded game who is still getting better. The Chargers and Tuipulotu talked about a contract extension over the offseason, but nothing got done, and he is now in the final year of his rookie deal. That contract situation only adds to the uncertainty around his future.
“Tuipulotu took a big step as a player in 2025. He has sustained that performance this season,” Popper added.
The production backs it up. Since the start of the 2025 season, Tuipulotu ranks 11th in pressure rate among players with at least 250 pass-rush snaps. For a Cowboys defense that needs more reliable pressure on quarterbacks, that kind of impact would fit a clear need.
Dallas has already made two trades this year, so the front office has shown it is willing to act. Whether it turns to Tuipulotu or not, the idea is straightforward: the Cowboys are still trying to stay in the NFC East race, and another move could help.
The Chargers, who have struggled even more, are one of the teams to watch as the deadline nears. A deal would still have to be worked out between the two sides before Tuipulotu could land in Dallas.
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