Dallas Cowboys Eyeing Substantial Trades Ahead of NFL Draft
FRISCO, Texas — With the NFL draft just around the corner, the Dallas Cowboys are not just sitting back and waiting for their 10 selections over the seven rounds from Thursday through Saturday. No, they are actively exploring other avenues to bolster their roster. And when we say actively, we mean it. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones has hinted at some “pretty substantive trades” in the works, although he’s keeping the specifics close to the vest for now.
Now, if you’ve been following the Cowboys, you know that trades are not a foreign concept to them. In recent years, they’ve made moves for players like quarterback Trey Lance, wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and cornerback Stephon Gilmore. However, it’s been a while since they’ve pulled off a blockbuster deal like the mid-season acquisition of Amari Cooper back in 2018. This offseason, they’ve already made trades for linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr from the Tennessee Titans and cornerback Kaiir Elam from the Buffalo Bills.
Financially, the Cowboys are in a decent spot with more than $37 million in salary cap space, according to NFLPA figures. But let’s not get too excited just yet. A significant portion of that will be allocated to draft picks, practice squad additions, injury settlements, and incentives. So, while they have room to maneuver, they’ll need to be strategic about it.
Jerry Jones is no stranger to draft-day trades. Since taking over the Cowboys in 1989, the team has made a whopping 72 trades. Their last first-round trade was in 2021 when they moved down to No. 12 overall in a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles and still managed to snag Micah Parsons.
Speaking of Parsons, the Cowboys are working on a long-term extension that could make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. At the annual league meeting last month, Jones mentioned that he and Parsons had a lengthy discussion, lasting “five or six hours,” where they agreed on the length of the deal, guaranteed money, and overall money. However, the finer details are still being ironed out between executive vice president Stephen Jones and Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta.
Stephen Jones expressed the team’s eagerness to finalize the deal, saying, “Believe me, if we could sign Micah to a number we wanted to sign him to, we’d do it right now. But right now there’s a difference in what we feel like is the right number and what he feels like is the right number.”
Parsons has been actively participating in the early portion of the Cowboys’ offseason program, which began last week. Jerry Jones is not surprised by Parsons’ involvement and believes it will benefit him in the long run. “The assumption here is that we’re going to get something done and so he knows or should know how important his work is around here and how important his being around here working is to leadership,” Jerry Jones said. “It’s a big deal. It’s the main reason why I’ve kind of taken some of the attitude I’ve taken about this thing. Micah just has to be elevated in his leadership and will be, or it will be a downer when he gets his anticipated contract. It will be a downer if he does not elevate leadership.”
- Jerry Jones is exploring “pretty substantive trades” for the Cowboys.
- The Cowboys have made 72 trades since 1989 under Jones’ leadership.
- Micah Parsons could become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
- The Cowboys have over $37 million in salary cap space.
As the draft approaches, all eyes will be on the Cowboys to see if they pull off any significant moves. With Jerry Jones at the helm, anything is possible, and Cowboys fans are surely in for an exciting few days.
Originally Written by: Todd Archer
