Less than two weeks remain before the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline, and the Dallas Cowboys are already front and center in the rumor mill.
That comes with the territory in Dallas, of course. Jerry Jones has never been shy about stirring the pot, and he’s been dropping hints about another move to help the defense at the deadline. The timing only got better for the Cowboys after their Monday night win over the Philadelphia Eagles, which gave the talk some extra fuel.
The deadline itself lands on Tuesday, November 10, at 4:00 p.m. ET, and the names tied to Dallas are starting to stack up.
One of the biggest is Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Josh Sweat. The chatter around that fit has picked up fast, and it’s not hard to see why.
Arizona looks headed toward a full rebuild after trading star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and Sweat could be the kind of veteran piece that brings back a meaningful return.
For Dallas, the appeal is obvious. Sweat already knows the division from his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, and he’d be stepping into a defense led by Christian Parker, who was on the Eagles’ staff during Sweat’s run in Philadelphia. That kind of familiarity matters, especially when the need and the fit line up this cleanly.
There’s also been mention of Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Zach Sieler as a possible target. The Cowboys have long valued former team captains, and Sieler would check that box while giving Dallas more help on the defensive interior. That’s an area where the Cowboys could use extra bodies to strengthen their run defense.
Elsewhere in the market, Mike Moraitis laid out the thinking behind a few other potential movers around the league. On Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, he wrote, "McDonald isn't attached to the current regime, either and only has one more year left on his contract after 2026. The Jets could also use more draft capital as they continue to go through their rebuild and McDonald could fetch a nice return from teams needing edge rusher help."
Moraitis also noted of Tennessee’s Barton, "Barton might be one of those guys. He's 30 years old and doesn't figure to have much of a future in Nashville. He will also be on the final year of his contract in 2027 and Tennessee could end up cutting him, so trading him now makes even more sense."
For now, the Cowboys remain one of the teams to watch as the deadline creeps closer, with a defense-first move still firmly in play if Jones decides to strike.
In Other News...
Cowboys May Have Finally Found A Better Tight End Formula
Dak Prescotts three-touchdown afternoon against Philadelphia came with an offense that looked a little different than it had in recent weeks, and the tight end usage stood out as much as anything. Jake Ferguson, who has been one of the more familiar pieces in Dallas passing game, saw his playing time and target share dip noticeably, while Brevyn Spann-Ford picked up more work and more chances to stay on the field.
For a Cowboys offense that has been searching for the right balance around Prescott, the shift suggests the staff may be leaning into a different tight end setup. Ferguson is still part of the equation, but the growing role for Spann-Ford points to a real change in how Dallas wants to deploy the position, and it will be worth watching whether this was a one-game wrinkle or the start of a larger adjustment. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Are Sending George Pickens A Message He Can't Ignore
George Pickens still made a real impact in the Cowboys win over the Philadelphia Eagles, finishing with four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. But the bigger message from Dallas may have been in how he was used, with the team trimming his playing time, especially in run-blocking situations, after coach Shane Schottenheimer publicly called him out for his effort in the previous game.
It was notable enough that Pickens played fewer snaps than Ryan Flournoy, a clear sign the Cowboys are willing to let the depth chart reflect more than just receiving production. Pickens has already been disciplined once this season for a curfew violation, so the clubs latest move adds another layer to a stretch where his talent has remained obvious even as the margin for error around him has narrowed. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Defense Just Gave Fans A New Reason For Hope
The Cowboys defense had a rough opening against Philadelphia, with the Eagles punching in touchdowns on their first two drives, but the group settled in and gave Dallas a chance to win. After that early burst, the Eagles managed only one more touchdown, and the Cowboys pass defense did enough to keep the game from getting away while the offense took advantage of the other side of the ball.
A lot of the optimism comes from the way the front and back end looked working together. DeMarvion Overshown was active all over the field in his return, and the pass rush kept building pressure with Quinnen Williams collapsing plays behind the line and Donovan Ezeiruaku finally getting to the quarterback for his first full sack of the season. The run defense still has work to do, but this was the kind of performance that can make the Cowboys believe the unit is starting to turn a corner. [Read more 🡒]