The Dallas Cowboys finished with a 7-9-1 record last season. Dallas will have the 12th and 20th overall picks in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Cowboys need a lot of help on the defensive side of the football. It will be interesting to see what moves Jerry Jones will make when the NFL Draft happens.
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Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Will the Cowboys have the nerve to trade up in this year’s NFL Draft? Time will tell if that will happen, but they need to be smart about what they do. However, Jerry has not been smart with his moves over the years.
ESPN Analyst Thinks That the Dallas Cowboys Could Trade Up From 12 to 2 In the 2026 NFL Mock Draft
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Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
There is no doubt that the Cowboys have been known for making crazy moves over the years with trades. Billy Barnwell of ESPN.com created a mock trade between Dallas and the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft. He thinks that the Cowboys will trade up from 12 to 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Barnwell also thinks Dallas would get a 2027 fifth-round pick in the trade as well. As for New York, they would get a fourth-round selection, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick from the Cowboys as well.
Barnwell said,
“Well, let’s get creative. 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? 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 outOsa Odighizuwafor Rashan Gary and addedJalen ThompsonandCobie Durantin the secondary, but even with Quinnen Williams in the mix, the Cowboys lack star power and difference-makers in their front seven.
If the Cowboys are willing to do this deal, they move all the way up behind the Raiders, who presumably are going quarterback at No. 1. Does Jones want Reese? Bailey? Bain? Styles? Doesn’t matter. He can get whoever he wants to make an immediate impact for the Cowboys at No. 2. With this trade, the Cowboys also hold on to the 20th pick, which would allow them to address the secondary, either by selecting a player or by moving down for extra draft capital. Suddenly, Jones can feel like his team is actually … stacked on defense?”
This move would not make sense for either team. The Jets going from 2 to 12 is a massive drop off. The Cowboys trading up from 12 to 2 wouldn’t make sense because they need to keep some draft capital around instead of risking the future. New York probably wouldn’t make this trade anyways. Dallas can try and make this offer to them, but there is no way that this would happen.
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