The Cowboys have already made a couple of notable roster moves, including the surprising release of Jaydon Blue and a trade for an offensive lineman. But after the Rams landed Aaron Donald, Dallas is being pushed toward one more aggressive swing.
And if the Cowboys want to keep pace with Los Angeles, the move has to be a real one.
The easy fantasy answer is Zack Martin. Jerry Jones could pick up the phone and try to lure the retired guard back, especially with Martin the same age as Donald at 35 and having missed only the 2025 season.
On paper, it would be the kind of counterpunch that fits the moment. A nine-time Pro Bowler.
A familiar face. A possible way to shift Tyler Smith to left tackle.
Martin, though, made it clear in 2025 that his career was over. He retired because of injuries, and he said the decision came after a lot of reflection.
“It was an absolute privilege to run out of the tunnel every Sunday and give this city everything I had,” Martin said in 2025. “I know many of you may have seen this decision coming, but that doesn't make it any easier. Football has been a huge part of my life.
“It's what I know. (And) it's what I love.
It's what has shaped me for as long as I can remember. I did not make this decision lightly.
It comes after a long thought and prayer. But the time has come for my football journey to reach its end.”
So if Dallas is staying grounded, the answer has to come somewhere else.
The Cowboys did add tackle Broderick Jones from the Steelers, which gives them more depth up front. But even that move comes with limits. It may help, but it doesn’t suddenly solve the problem of handling Myles Garrett in Week 15, a game that could matter a lot for playoff seeding.
Sports Illustrated framed Jones as a useful addition, but not a sure thing. Mike Moraitis wrote, “Based on his career numbers and advantage in experience, Jones should be an upgrade over both (backup Drew) Shelton and (traded Nate) Thomas,” and added, “Whether or not he'd be better than (current left tackle Tyler) Guyton or (current right tackle Terence) Steele remains to be seen. Notice we say “should be an upgrade” because Jones is not a lock to have success in Dallas given what we've seen out of him during his career.”
Jerry Jones, for his part, still sounds ready to keep working the phones. Jon Machota posted Jones saying, “These could be some critical days here as we look at our roster, look at all the other rosters.
Right now, everybody around the league, the other 31 teams are seeing if they can improve it. We’ll be looking at that very, very aggressively.
We’ve got time to improve for opening day.”
But if Dallas is really trying to answer the Rams the way the Rams answered the league, the bigger move is on defense. The Cowboys should reopen trade talks with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby.
That’s the kind of splash that actually matches what Los Angeles just did. It would be difficult, no question. Even Brian Urlacher said he doesn’t see it happening, according to Inside Football via thesportingtribune.com.
“Maxx Crosby,” Urlacher said. “If you're going to keep making big splashes, I mean, I have no idea how they would ever make that happen.
Jerry Jones does, but I have no idea how they could make that happen. But, I mean, he's the only guy, I mean, that could … in my opinion that would change, they could even possibly get.”
That’s the bar now. The Rams made their move. The Cowboys need one that actually looks like a response.
In Other News...
Cowboys Lost Another Young Defensive Back They Wanted To Keep
The Cowboys first round of roster cuts came with the kind of churn that always makes these final days of August feel personal, and safety Julius Wood was one of the tougher names to see go. Dallas released several players in trimming to its initial 53-man roster, and Wood, who had flashed in the preseason and early in camp, was beaten out by Alijah Clark for one of the spots in the secondary.
Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged the human side of those decisions, which is part of what made Woods exit land harder inside the building. The Cowboys clearly saw enough in the young defensive back to want him around, but after clearing waivers he did not stay available long, as Miami stepped in and claimed him, leaving Dallas to keep sorting through the fallout of another promising defender slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Suddenly Give Up On A QB They Just Spent A Year Developing
The Cowboys made a notable roster shuffle by claiming running back Emari Demercado off waivers and, in the process, moving on from quarterback Joe Milton. Milton had spent the past year in Dallas and showed improvement during the preseason, but the club still chose to waive him even though he remains under his rookie contract for two more seasons.
Sam Howell now stands as the clear backup behind Dak Prescott for the 2026 season, giving the Cowboys a much different look in the quarterback room than they seemed poised to have when Milton arrived. If Milton clears waivers, Dallas could still keep him around on the practice squad, but for now the move suggests the team has settled on its next layer of QB depth. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cowboys Bust Might Get One More Chance To Revive His Career
As the Chargers move toward finalizing their 53-man roster, the next round of roster churn could create another landing spot for a former Cowboys first-round pick who has already changed teams once this season. Mazi Smith was recently released by the Jets, and if he clears waivers, he could surface as a practice-squad option for Los Angeles as it sorts through the final pieces of its roster.
For Dallas fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a once-promising path can turn into a search for stability. Smith has already been through a difficult start to his NFL career, but a reunion with Chargers personnel familiar with his development could give him a better runway than he has had elsewhere, even if the next step remains uncertain. [Read more 🡒]