The Dallas Cowboys need to find defensive upgrades in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The good news is there are some potential superstars available on that side of the ball. The bad news is they may not make it to the Cowboys' spot at No. 12 overall.
That would point to a potential trade-up, and in a new article by ESPN's Bill Barnwell on Monday, he writes that the Cowboys could target the No. 2 overall pick, currently held by the New York Jets.
Barnwell would have the Cowboys send this year's 12th and 112th picks to the Jets, along with a 2027 first-round and a 2027 third-rounder. In return, Dallas would get the No. 2 overall pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
It's a steep price to pay, so the Cowboys would then need to get their choice right in the second spot.
"What if the Cowboys absolutely, positively love one of the defensive players in this draft and want to make sure they get that guy on their roster immediately?" Barnwell writes. "I know it's difficult to imagine Jerry Jones doing something rash and dramatic, but the Cowboys' owner has to fix Dallas' defense, preferably sooner rather than later. The Cowboys have essentially swapped out Osa Odighizuwa for Rashan Gary and added Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant in the secondary, but even with Quinnen Williams in the mix, the Cowboys lack star power and difference-makers in their front seven."
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If a deal like this was coming together, the Cowboys would likely want to keep next year's first-rounder out of it, but the Jets would likely insist on it.
"He can get whoever he wants to make an immediate impact for the Cowboys at No. 2," Barnwell writes. "With this trade, the Cowboys also hold onto the 20th pick, which would allow them to address the secondary, either by selecting a player or moving down for extra draft capital. Suddenly, Jones can feel like his team is actually ... stacked on defense?"
The Jets would get another chance at adding their QB of the future next year (or trading up with all their accumulated assets to find him).
It might be a win-win trade, if the Cowboys pick the right guy after moving up.
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