The Cowboys are still hovering below .500, but that hasn’t stopped the trade deadline chatter from following Jerry Jones everywhere. There’s a reason for that. Dallas has already shown some life with Monday night’s win in Philly, and if the NFC East is still within reach by November 10, the front office should be ready to deal.
The bigger issue is obvious: this defense needs help. The coordinator isn’t getting enough out of the group, but better personnel would at least give Dallas a chance to raise the floor. With that in mind, here are five names that make sense for the Cowboys to monitor.
At the top of the board is Tuli Tuipulotu of the Chargers, even if the sack total doesn’t jump off the page. He has only two quarterback takedowns through six games, but the underlying production is strong.
Tuipulotu is tied for eighth among edge defenders with 22 impact plays, ranks 14th with 26 pressures, third with a 20.2 percent pressure rate, and ninth with a 16.3 percent pass-rush win rate. He’s also been one of the better run defenders at the position, landing in the top 10 in both run stops and stuffed runs.
Because he’s in the final year of his rookie deal, any team making a move would likely be thinking extension too. For Dallas, he would step in as the top edge defender and give them a long-term answer alongside Quinnen Williams, Caleb Downs, Jaishawn Barham, and potentially Joey Porter Jr.
The next best fit is Jordyn Brooks of the Dolphins. Dallas already checked in on him over the offseason before he signed his extension in Miami, and he’d make plenty of sense now.
DeMarvion Overshown’s return Monday night mattered - he recorded six tackles, five stops, a fourth-quarter interception, and a pass breakup as a blitzer - but the Cowboys still need a linebacker who can clean up the middle of the defense. Brooks has been steady in Miami under Jeff Hafley, and per Sūmer Sports he has nine run stops, three run stuffs, 13 impact plays, and five pressures on 25 pass-rush snaps.
With Jacob Rodriguez emerging as the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, the Dolphins can afford to move on.
Alex Highsmith comes in at No. 3.
Pittsburgh is 5-2 and not exactly acting like a selling team, but the Steelers do have T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig, which opens the door to at least wondering whether they’d listen on Highsmith for the right offer.
He’s playing 66 percent of the snaps, which would be his lowest share since his rookie season, yet he’s still producing at a strong level. Highsmith ranks 11th among edge defenders with a 15.5 percent pass-rush win rate, and he brings more than just pressure.
He sets the edge well, works through traffic in the run game, and has the kind of skill set Dallas could use immediately. If the Steelers are willing to discuss draft capital, he should be near the top of the Cowboys’ list.
Khalil Mack is another name that fits, though he feels like a cleaner target for a more obvious contender. Still, Dallas would be smart to be in the mix.
The Chargers edge rusher has remained highly productive at 35, ranking tied for 16th among edge rushers with 17 impact plays and tied for 29th with 20 pressures, while also sitting 21st in pressure rate and 17th in pass-rush win rate. Against the run, he’s been even better, tying for third in run stops and tied for eighth with four stuffed runs.
Since he’s on an expiring deal, the price tag is manageable at $6.2 million. That should make him appealing to plenty of teams, Dallas included.
Rounding out the board is Josh Sweat of the Cardinals. He may not be the flashiest option right now, but multiple insiders have already connected him to the Cowboys, and that alone keeps him on the radar.
Sweat has had a down year, posting a 10.5 percent pressure rate and an 8.5 percent pass-rush win rate while collecting two sacks. He hasn’t looked especially explosive, and there’s some concern he may be dealing with an injury.
At 29, he should still have plenty left, though there’s also the possibility that he’s checked out in Arizona after reportedly being unhappy in the offseason when Jonathan Gannon was fired. Dallas would need to do its homework, but his history and his ties to the team make him a name worth watching.
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For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for the right balance in the middle of the field, the change was hard to miss. Dallas has been leaning more toward Spann-Ford in recent weeks, and the Eagles game suggested the Cowboys may finally be settling on a different formula at tight end, one that could reshape how this offense looks going forward. [Read more 🡒]