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FRISCO, Texas — A team that trades for a player and then loses him in free agency can get back a compensatory pick that matches what it paid, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday. The Cowboys refer to that as renting the player, Jones said during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan & RJ show.
A host pointed to Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman’s trades this season and raised whether stepping back to retool ever goes through Jones’ head. The Eagles traded defensive tackle Jordan Davis on Monday in a deal that returned a first-round pick and a second-round pick, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Marcus Hayes wrote.
The dynamic is bittersweet to some degree, Jones said, but he called it a good way to approach a position when a team is going in a different direction.
“Well, that’s made possible because when you trade for a player and then you lose that player in free agency, you get a compensatory pick,” Jones said. “And sometimes, if the player that you’ve traded for does well, you’ll get a compensatory pick that equals what you paid for. We refer to that as rent the player, and that does happen and can happen. And if you have some success with your trades, that can happen for you just from that dynamic.”
Jerry Jones On Compensatory Picks And The Draft
Jones described a second route as well, trading a player away for as much as the team paid for him.
“Now, of course, if you have a player that comes along and then you trade him for as much as you paid for him, then the same is obvious,” Jones continued. “So those things are happening and can happen, and to some degree, it’s bittersweet. But it’s certainly a good way. If you are trying to go in a different direction at a position, it’s a good way to look at it.”
“That you’ll, if you’ll do well, you’ll get a pick back,” Jones added. “And so when the time comes after you’ve had him four or five years, that you may be right back in business in the draft. So all of that’s good. It happens, happens several, a lot of times.”
Dallas Cowboys’ Recent Trade Additions
Dallas acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 1 for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. Just over a year ago, the Cowboys sent a first-round pick, a second-round pick, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the New York Jets for Quinnen Williams.
Defensive tackle Kenny Clark came from Green Bay before the 2025 season in the Micah Parsons trade. During this past offseason, Dallas sent a fourth-round pick to the Packers for edge rusher Rashan Gary. Wide receiver George Pickens came from Pittsburgh in May 2025.
Jones said Tuesday he does not expect a significant trade before the 3 p.m. CT deadline. He said the Cowboys will add a running back, probably through free agency, with Tyler Goodson out multiple weeks with a knee injury.
The Cowboys (4-5) host the San Francisco 49ers (7-1) on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.
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