Well, Jerry Jones won’t be happy to read this.
Leading up to the NFL trade deadline, the Dallas Cowboys made a couple of moves in the name of improvement on the defensive side of the ball. First, they acquired veteran linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick. Then, they added star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.
Those moves should certainly help Dallas defensively, especially when it comes to stopping the run, but will they be enough to propel the Cowboys back into the contender conversation in the NFC after a 3-5-1 start to the season? James Dator of SB Nation doesn’t seem to think so, as he listed Dallas as one of the biggest losers of the trade deadline.
Here’s some of the provided rationale:
“The only good thing about the Williams trade was keeping their 2026 1st rounder, which could be high. The problem is that losing what could be a high second and a future first, while screwing your salary cap is a lot of deck chair rearranging on the Titanic. . . Trading Micah Parsons had one silver living: Draft assets and cap flexibility. Both of those are now gone.”
The moves do seem sort of shortsighted on the Cowboys’ part. Sure, they’ll probably improve defensively this season, but to what end? The team is probably more than just a move or two away from true contention. Adding a couple of nice pieces of furniture doesn’t a mansion make.
The addition of Williams complicates – and limits – Dallas’ cap situation moving forward and could lead to some difficult decisions. But, if he helps propel the Cowboys to a playoff berth, it will likely be worth it in the eyes of those in Dallas.
Other listed losers from the trade deadline include Jets running back Breece Hall, who wasn’t included in the team’s fire sale, and inactive contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.