As the 2026 NFL season moves toward the halfway point, the Cowboys have bigger problems on the field than they do in the draft room. Still, it’s hard not to look ahead, because Dallas’ 2027 draft stash is already thinning out - and its value will be shaped heavily by which teams end up in the playoffs.
Barring any more deals, the Cowboys are set to enter 2027 with only four picks: the lesser of their own first-rounder or Green Bay’s, their original second-round pick, Pittsburgh’s fourth-round selection, and New England’s seventh-rounder.
The biggest swing piece is the Packers’ first-rounder from the Micah Parsons trade. Right now, Green Bay sits at 4-3, and with a head-to-head win over Dallas, it looks likely the Cowboys will wind up sending their own first-round pick to the Jets because of the Quinnen Williams trade and instead keeping the Packers’ pick for themselves.
Based on the current NFC picture, Green Bay would grab the last Wild Card spot, which matters more than the regular-season record once the postseason starts. If the Packers stay in the field and make a January push, that pick could slide from the 19-20 range all the way to the back of the round.
Dallas would much rather see Green Bay miss the playoffs entirely, or at least settle for a pick no worse than 18th.
Thursday night could offer a little more clarity, though maybe not the kind the Cowboys want. The Packers host the Panthers, and while Carolina has been scrappy this season and is fighting to keep its top spot in the NFC North, the short week should tilt things toward Green Bay. Carolina is also coming off a rough loss.
Pittsburgh’s fourth-rounder is another one to watch. The Steelers are 5-2, which is good enough to surprise people and yet not good enough to put them comfortably on top of the AFC North.
In fact, they’re chasing the Cleveland Browns, and all four teams in that division are above .500 right now. Sunday’s Browns-Steelers rematch looms large, especially because Cleveland won the first meeting.
Dallas would like to see Pittsburgh lose ground and eventually get squeezed out of the AFC playoff race, which would help preserve the value of that Day 3 pick.
Then there’s New England’s seventh-round selection, acquired via the Nate Thomas trade with Houston. The Patriots are sitting in eighth place in the AFC at 4-3, which puts them just outside the current playoff group.
The Bills, meanwhile, are pulling away in the AFC East at 5-1, so New England may need a Wild Card spot to get in. Dallas would prefer none of these teams make the postseason, since that would boost the value of every one of these picks.
The Packers matter most here, and the Steelers come next, but even a seventh-rounder has some importance when a roster spot like Ryan Flournoy’s is part of the equation.
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