The Cowboys are heading into Saturday’s preseason game against the Seahawks with a familiar problem: not enough snaps, too many bodies. With only three preseason games on the schedule, Dallas doesn’t have much runway to sort through the back end of the roster before it has to cut from 90 players down to 53.
That creates a tricky calculation. If the Cowboys don’t want to lose talent for nothing on waivers, a trade becomes a real option.
Not for George Pickens, though. That idea gets shut down quickly.
Dallas is trying to build a team that can make a deep playoff run, and moving Pickens would run against that goal. The club seems willing to deal with his contract later, and Pickens, as it stands, appears to be on the same page.
The more obvious trade chip is Luke Schoonmaker.
Dallas spent a second-round pick on him, and even then the move looked expensive for a tight end spot where Dak Prescott can make just about anyone functional. Schoonmaker hasn’t delivered enough to justify the investment, and the roster has moved past him. Jake Ferguson has locked down the top job and landed a sizable payday, so there’s no path for Schoonmaker to climb over him.
Then there’s Brevyn Spann-Ford, who has emerged as the better blocker and has started to show some upside as a receiver. Both he and Schoonmaker are in contract years, and Spann-Ford feels like the more logical player to keep around and extend. Michael Trigg, an undrafted tight end, has also been turning heads at camp with his pass-catching ability and athleticism, and with Dallas playing in an isolated window on Saturday night, he’ll have a chance to catch the attention of the rest of the league.
Princeton Fant’s season-ending injury didn’t open the door for Schoonmaker for long. Dallas quickly added Zack Kuntz off waivers after that.
The way the Cowboys appear to be mapping out the room says a lot: Ferguson at the top, Spann-Ford as the No. 2, Trigg as the developmental piece.
In that setup, Schoonmaker looks like the odd man out, and a day-three pick in return wouldn’t be a surprise.
There are other spots Dallas could consider if it wants to deal, but none feel as straightforward. Cornerback has depth, but DaRon Bland’s health, Shavon Revel’s confidence, and where Caleb Downs will spend most of his time all leave questions behind that group.
Inside linebacker is in a similar spot. For now, though, Schoonmaker stands out as the clearest trade candidate on the roster.
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Cowboys Preseason Opener Puts Several Roster Battles Under Real Pressure
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