Dallas Cowboys’ Only Sensible Deadline Path Is Player-For-Player Defensive Deal
FRISCO, Texas — Three days before Tuesday’s 3 p.m. CT trade deadline, the only kind of deal that makes sense for the Dallas Cowboys is a player-for-player trade involving someone on defense, The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones reported Saturday.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan that Dallas had not seen much movement in trade talks. A pressure player is the addition he believes could help most.
“You never know,” Stephen Jones said. “We’re obviously on the phone, and having exchanges, but I right now wouldn’t say anything’s imminent or about to happen … If we saw the right thing that could help us, our goal would be to make this team better to make a run.”
Dallas (3-5) visits the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at noon CT on FOX. The New York Giants lead the NFC East at 4-2-1, a gap Stephen Jones called “not anything that’s insurmountable if we can pick it up in terms of finishing.”
Cowboys Already Made Their Big Defensive Swing
The Cowboys acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 30 for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. The deal came without a new contract, and Porter is playing out the final year of his rookie deal.
At the time, AP described Dallas’ defense as among the NFL’s worst and its secondary as injury-plagued. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones framed the Porter move as part of a bigger push on that side of the ball.
“It’s important to think big, and this is over in that big thought area about what we can do to help our defense,” Jerry Jones said.
Last week on the same station, Jerry Jones said it would take “a dynamic situation to give up picks.” Dallas already sent the New York Jets the higher of its two 2027 first-round picks in last November’s trade for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
Cardinals Rallied Past Dallas In Overtime Last Sunday
Against the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday at AT&T Stadium, Dallas led 17-3 in the third quarter. Arizona then benched Jacoby Brissett for Gardner Minshew II, who led four straight touchdown drives. Chad Ryland won it 33-30 with a 42-yard field goal in overtime.
Josh Sweat sacked quarterback Dak Prescott to end the Cowboys’ only overtime possession. Arizona outgained Dallas 467-261 and rushed for 202 yards. Entering Week 9, the Cowboys had allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL.
In Indianapolis on Sunday, the Colts are fielding calls on wide receiver Josh Downs, defensive tackle Grover Stewart, and running back Jonathan Taylor, among others.
