When the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons before Week 1 of the 2025 season, Jerry Jones and company insisted they still ran a contending team in the NFC that was simply re-tooling. Sending Parsons to the Green Bay Packers was both surprising and disappointing to Dallas' fanbase — but still, the Cowboys could realistically make a playoff push.
Through eight games this season, Dallas sits at 3-4-1, second in the NFC East. The high points can be attributed to a terrific offense that ranks second in the NFL with 384.1 yards per game. Dak Prescott has become an MVP candidate after his return from long-term injury last season, while George Pickens and Javonte Williams have been strong offseason additions.
Defensively, it's been a much different story without Parsons. While ranking second in total offense, Dallas is second-worst in total defense, struggling to get stops on a weekly basis. If the Cowboys are going to make a playoff push, it's likely they'll need to make a trade deadline addition or two, especially defensively.
Who could Dallas target at the trade deadline? Here's a look at eight players that would make sense for Brian Schottenheimer's Cowboys.
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8. LB Devin Bush, Browns
A spoiler: all eight players listed here are defenders. The Cowboys' offense has been elite, without any real holes, potentially outside of a backup running back. With the massive defensive contrast, there's not many reasons for Dallas to consider trading for an offensive player.
All three levels of the defense could benefit from a new face, including linebacker. Devin Bush could be an easy player for the Cleveland Browns to move, with the younger Carson Schwesinger developing into a strong contributor already. Bush, 27, is on a one-year deal, with 34 tackles and one sack so far this season.
Bush has over 400 career tackles to his name and could help bring some veteran stability to a linebacker core that has been rolling out second-year Marist Liufau and first-year Shemar James as starters, with DeMarvion Overshown still dealing with an injury. Alongside Kenneth Murray Jr., Bush would add some added tackling ability against the run to a defense that needs it.
Add in the fact that Bush wouldn't cost a high-level draft pick, and he's worth consideration for Jerry Jones. The Houston Texans' Christian Harris is another name at linebacker that isn't mentioned elsewhere on that list, but could be a fit for Dallas.
MORE:Predicting the 2025 NFL trade deadline, from Breece Hall to Jakobi Meyers
7. S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins just acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick in an offseason deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the 2025 season hasn't treated Mike McDaniel's team kindly. The Dolphins have been mentioned as potential deadline sellers often after their 2-6 start, trending toward the cellar of the AFC.
Fitzpatrick, 28, isn't quite the superstar safety he once was, but he remains a versatile player who can be effective in various situations. In 2025, he's put up 45 tackles and one interception in eight games after 96 tackles and an interception in Pittsburgh last year.
Dallas has had Malik Hooker placed on IR with a toe injury, and Donovan Wilson struggle in coverage this season. Fitzpatrick would be an expensive add from a financial standpoint, carrying a cap hit around $19 million in 2026, according to Spotrac. But after the Cowboys dealt Parsons, Jerry Jones did spend some time talking about using the money and assets Dallas saved in that area elsewhere.
Fitzpatrick could help shore up a Dallas secondary that has been one of the NFL's worst in a few areas this season.
MORE:11 NFL trade deadline deals that playoff contenders need to make
6. CB Alontae Taylor, Saints
Sticking in the secondary, a cornerback addition isn't quite as dire for Dallas, but would still make sense. Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland have proven to be capable NFL starters in the past, especially when it comes to forcing turnovers. But Diggs was recently placed on IR with a concussion and right knee injury.
That could prompt the Cowboys to add a corner, with a few potential names on the market. The New Orleans Saints' Alontae Taylor is one of those names, a 26-year-old former second-round pick who has four passed defended and 36 tackles this season on a struggling team.
The Saints should be considered sellers, even if they don't part with their most talented veteran players. Taylor would be a nice balance — he could net some decent draft capital, but his absence wouldn't hurt the future of the defense terribly, with Kool-Aid McKinstry and others still in the mix.
Taylor isn't the kind of ballhawk Diggs and Bland are, but he is an upcoming free agent who could fill-in during Diggs' absence, then become a strong rotational option. Like Bush, Taylor wouldn't cost too much while filling a gap in the defense.
MORE:Best trade for all 32 teams to make at 2025 NFL trade deadline
5. LB Logan Wilson, Bengals
Viewed as the top potential linebacker on the market, the Cincinnati Bengals' Logan Wilson would fill the same needs as Bush, but to a higher extent. Wilson requested a trade before the deadline, per ESPN, as he's seen a reduced role throughout the season.
A trade sending Wilson to Dallas would make sense for both sides, as the Bengals grant his trade request and prioritize their young linebackers, while the Cowboys add a potential playmaker in the middle of their defense who is much-needed.
Wilson has plenty of starting experience, now in his sixth NFL season. In 2023, he posted a career-high 135 tackles, while he has 46 tackles and four passes defended so far in 2025. Those coverage skills would be welcomed for Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Whether the Bengals will actually move Wilson as they attempt to bounce back from their own slow start remains to be seen. But if they do, the Cowboys should be calling, in need of a linebacker.
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4. DE Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins
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The Cowboys have not been a good pass rushing team since Parsons' departure, unsurprisingly. There are no real-difference makers coming off the edge for Dallas — James Houston's 3.5 sacks lead the team through eight games. When the Cowboys prioritized stopping the run post-Parsons, they also sacrificed a massive chunk of their pass rush.
Edge rusher is probably the biggest need for Dallas at the trade deadline, and there could be some high-impact players available. Among them: the Dolphins' Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, both of whom are strong defenders on a bad team. Both could cost some significant draft compensation and could be moved, but Phillips has slightly been the more rumored trade candidate.
The 26-year-old ranks among the top run-stoppers at his position and has added two sacks and 21 tackles this season. In his rookie season, Phillips posted 8.5 sacks, and in 2023, he had 6.5. He's capable of near-elite production, a former first-round pick who has struggled to stay healthy in recent years.
A trade to Dallas would give Phillips an opportunity to shine on a contending team once again, and he'd be utilized as the team's top pass rusher. He's not quite at Parsons-level, but Phillips would be a talented player to add to the Cowboys defense.
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3. LB Demario Davis, Saints
Demario Davis is 36 years old, but still a productive player on a Saints team that isn't going anywhere this season. He's been in New Orleans since 2018 — so perhaps Davis wants to stick it out until retirement. Or, maybe he's ready to join a contender and play more meaningful snaps.
Either way, Davis remains one of the better linebackers across the league, and he could be a critical new piece for Eberflus' defense as the middle linebacker alongside Overshown, who's set to return from injury soon.
While not much of a pass-defender at linebacker, Davis would boost the Cowboys' run defense, owning 72 tackles entering Week 9, the fifth-most in the NFL.
Davis is still a key leader in the Saints' defense, but also a player who could net a rebuilding New Orleans group a nice return as he approaches the end of his career. Should the Cowboys acquire Davis, they'd be making a meaningful addition that's played a whole lot of football and been an elite run-stopper.
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2. DE Trey Hendrickson, Bengals
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The top two names on this list are top-tier star pass rushers in the NFL, neither of whom should be considered too likely to be traded. But the Cowboys need a star pass rusher in the worst way without Parsons.
Trey Hendrickson went through months and months of a dramatic contract holdout with the Bengals, including a trade request, then eventually worked out an agreement to boost his 2025 salary while still becoming a free agent after the season. That was a temporary fix to the issue though, and the 3-5 Bengals haven't proven themselves as a top AFC contender this season.
Naturally, Hendrickson once again finds himself in trade rumors. He has four sacks in seven games this season, still among the best players at his position across the NFL, and he'll soon be seeking the kind of long-term extension that a financially well-off team like the Cowboys can give him.
Rather than waiting for Hendrickson to hit the open market, why shouldn't Dallas make a decent offer now, allowing the pass rusher to help the team make a push for an NFC wild card spot? Reports have indicated that the Bengals don't have any plans to trade Hendrickson, but another loss or two plus a good offer could change that.
Dallas' need for a star pass rusher opened up as soon as it sent Parsons to Green Bay. Could the Cowboys land another disgruntled defensive star at the deadline?
MORE:Everything to know about Trey Hendrickson's reworked contract with Bengals
1. DE Maxx Crosby, Raiders
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The biggest move the Cowboys could make at the deadline, that's somewhat realistic, is acquiring Raiders star Maxx Crosby. There are plenty of reasons to think a Crosby trade will not happen; Crosby is 28 and in his prime. He just signed a massive three-year extension with Las Vegas in the offseason, and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero recently reported that the Raiders met with Crosby "to let him know they aren’t shopping him and won’t trade him."
Still, things can change quickly at this time of year, and some reports have suggested the Cowboys made calls to the Raiders about Crosby. The Raiders are just 2-5 this season despite some higher expectations with some added offseason talent. It isn't too far-fetched to envision Mark Davis, Pete Carroll and company deciding they've received an offer for Crosby that can help them re-tool for 2026.
Like Hendrickson, Crosby would hypothetically join the Cowboys as a bonafide star at his position. The former fourth-round pick has developed into an elite pass rusher, with three career seasons with double-digit sacks and four so far in 2025, plus an interception. He might be as close to a Parsons-level defender as Dallas will be able to get its hands on.
Crosby's recent $106.5 million extension would mean the Cowboys would be committing to him in the longer-term financially, also meaning they'd have to potentially give up multiple high-end draft picks to land him. But with how much Dallas' pass rush has struggled in 2025, Crosby would fill a huge need.
If the Cowboys are pursuing a new face of their defense, they should be making the Raiders an offer they can't refuse. It's far more likely Crosby remains in Las Vegas, but now that he's armed with assets from the Parsons deal, why shouldn't Jerry Jones pursue his next elite defensive star?
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