The Dallas Cowboys may be staring at a different kind of trade deadline fix than the one most people expected.
With one game left before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, Dallas heads to Indianapolis in Week 9, and the matchup could end up shaping what the front office does next. The Cowboys are coming off a rough loss to the Arizona Cardinals, one that saw them cough up a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. That collapse had already raised questions about whether it makes sense to spend future assets on this season at all.
A win over the Colts would change that conversation quickly. Getting to 4-5 would keep Dallas in the NFC East mix and could give the front office more confidence to make a move.
Most of the chatter around the Cowboys has centered on a pass-rusher, but PFF’s Gordon McGuinness thinks the bigger issue is inside. He called a run-stuffer their top need and pointed to Indianapolis defensive tackle Grover Stewart as a fit.
"The Cowboys have only one interior defensive lineman with a PFF run-defense grade above 60.0 so far this season, and with their overall struggles on defense, another player to boost their rotation could help. Given the Indianapolis Colts’ apparent fire sale, a player like Grover Stewart, who has earned a PFF run-defense grade above 65.0 in eight of his 10 seasons in the NFL, could be a fit," McGuinness wrote.
McGuinness projected Stewart could be available for a sixth-round pick.
Stewart has spent his entire 10-year career with the Colts and has built his reputation as a run-stopper. He has 435 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and 47 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-4 and 314 pounds, he is not known for much pass-rush production, but he does have a 62.8 run defense grade this season.
Dallas will get a direct look at him this weekend in Indianapolis. There’s no indication the Cowboys have already shown interest, but the fit is easy to see. Stewart is in the final year of his deal, and the Colts have already moved Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.
Jonathan Taylor and Josh Downs have also been mentioned as players who could be on the block, but Stewart could be part of that same sell-off as Indianapolis stockpiles picks for a rebuild.
For the Cowboys, it comes down to whether they think Stewart is the answer. If not, the safer move may be to keep their draft capital and look toward 2027.
In Other News...
Cowboys Still Waiting On Two Crucial Calls Before Colts Game
The Cowboys are still sorting through two key injury situations as they get ready for their Week 9 meeting with the Colts. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and wide receiver George Pickens were both limited, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer said each is hopeful to be available, though neither is exactly at full speed right now.
For Indianapolis, the final injury report will matter because it could shape how Dallas approaches both sides of the ball. Pickens and Porter remain questionable, and the picture should get clearer once the Cowboys release their last report before kickoff, leaving one more layer of uncertainty in a matchup that already carries plenty of stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Could Be Pulled Into A Quarterback Race Fast
The quarterback market can move quickly this time of year, and the Colts could find themselves in the middle of it before long. Minnesota is sorting through its own options with Kyler Murray sidelined by a hamstring injury and Carson Wentz set to start against the Bills, a decision tree that could ripple beyond the Vikings building and into Indianapolis.
If Monday night goes a certain way, the Colts may suddenly be dealing with outside interest in Daniel Jones, with salary considerations and an incoming new general manager making the situation worth watching from their side. It is the kind of front-office wrinkle that can surface fast, especially when one team is trying to stabilize its quarterback room and another is already thinking ahead to next year. [Read more 🡒]
Quenton Nelson News Just Changed How Colts Fans See That Trade
Quenton Nelsons move from Indianapolis to Seattle already had Colts fans looking back at the deal with a different lens, and the latest update only sharpens that view. The veteran lineman is dealing with a knee issue that will require minor cartilage surgery, and the Seahawks expect him to be out for at least a few weeks while he recovers.
Mike Macdonald said the knee condition was already there before the trade, then got worse in a recent game, which helps explain why Seattle is not putting Nelson on injured reserve. That decision leaves open the possibility of a return in about three weeks, but it also adds another layer to a trade that now looks even more complicated from the Colts side. [Read more 🡒]