The Dallas Cowboys, at a frustrating 2-3-1 in 6 weeks into the season, shouldn’t be the centerpiece of the NFL trade deadline conversation. Tom Pelissero laid out the mechanism perfectly: “Jerry Jones keeps saying….’Hey, we got the picks.” Pelissero then continued, noting the strategic gravity of the Parsons trade:

“Jerry Jones has managed to make himself relevant. No matter what they do or don’t do, by virtue of getting an extra first-round pick next year and all the questions that raises, he has made them a centerpiece story in the NFL, even if this team isn’t particularly good.” The question then becomes a matter of buy or sell before the deadline.

“Do you buy or sell? We will see the Cowboys make a trade to bring in a player prior to the trade deadline that’s 20 days away,” Pelissero challenged. Now, this will be a positive update for head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who is looking to improve the defense. In fact, Ian Rapoport confirmed the move is “at least a little bit intentional to let everyone know.” He clarified that while it’s partly about media hype (“to make sure that this segment happens, make sure we talk about the Cowboys”), the practical effect is unmistakable.

Eyes may be on Bradley Chubb or Arden Key.

Chubb, the former first-rounder, has racked up 43.5 career sacks and forced 14 FF; Key, who set LSU’s single-season sack record (20) in college, holds 26.5 (from 2018-2024) career sacks of his own. Rapoport: “So, at least what Jerry Jones has guaranteed is that they get a look.”

The need for a look is obvious, especially on defense, where the secondary is giving up the worst EPA per pass in the NFL.

Jones isn’t blind to the 2-3-1 skid, but he sees parity and injuries offering hope. “It just reminded me that we are still in it,” he said, holding tight to the notion that the NFC East’s struggles give his team life. The thing is, waiting for DeMarvion Overshown or Shavon Revel Jr. to return from injury might not cut it.

The defense needs impact now.

Cowboys trade talk and defensive woes

The team’s two starting safeties, Juanyeh Thomas and Donovan Wilson, are ranked 58th and 70th, respectively, among 83 qualifying players by PFF grade. That is poor form. And despite having Wilson lead the team with 2 INTs, the unit as a whole has managed a mere 11 sacks through six games. That’s a pass-rush problem that even the team leader, J. Houston, with his 3.5 sacks, can’t solve alone.

Rapoport noted that while a splash is unlikely, he “could see them bringing in someone. They love defensive tackles. They could use an edge.”

So, the focus pivots to the Nov. 4 deadline. The conversation always swings back to the price tag, though. Jones put the onus on the other 31 teams: “I don’t have a trade in mind at all. And that comes about right now if someone is on the phone calling.” He’s waiting for the market to come to him, armed with that 2026 first-rounder.

Rapoport, ever the pragmatist, cautions that Dallas isn’t the type of team to “just go all in,” explaining: “They sure have done some trades. I think last offseason, they did a bunch of trades. They are a team that collects picks. They have drafted very well with the exception of Mazy Smith and maybe a couple others, but they have drafted very well.”

That success is actually what led to this salary cap “mess” of needing to pay so many players top dollar. Rapoport surmised that while he “could see them doing some trades,” he “can’t see them giving up a ton because they’re not a team that likes to just go all in because there is no going all in in the NFL, right?”