Even before the Week 8 loss, the Dallas Cowboys knew something had to be done about their defense. Jerry Jones tried to shake up his roster with Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson. But it turned out to be a big flop. Crosby isn’t leaving the Las Vegas Raiders, and Hendrickson isn’t leaving the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys were stuck looking for more pass rush, but nobody was biting. And now, Jones’ latest take feels like he’s not sure a trade’s coming. Appearing on 105.3 The Fan, Jerry stood up for the defense but admitted it needs a lot of work. 

“It’s not as bad as it looks … but it also has a lot of room for improvement for us to be where we want to be on defense. – We need combination, we need to basically have better play from the linebackers, maintaining the integrity of the gaps, which the linebackers have to fill.”

This isn’t random. The Cowboys’ defense is bleeding yards and points. The numbers: 400+ yards allowed per game, bottom three on the ground, nobody stepping up as ‘the guy’. Jones noted the linebackers need to be better, but does that mean a trade’s coming? Well… it doesn’t look like it. When asked about it, Jerry had this to say: 

“Not necessarily. Not at all but possibly. So how about that for an answer?”

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Around the league, front offices are guarding what they have, especially when it comes to elite pass rushers and linebackers. But the window for a blockbuster addition is closing, if it wasn’t already shut. Where does Jerry Jones go now? He’s stalling, sidestepping, and hoping something clicks. But if any help’s coming, it’s from inside the building, not outside. With Crosby out of the question and Hendrickson following suit, there aren’t any other trades that Jerry feels are good enough. As he further notes:

“I can tell you this right now, there is not a trade in my mind, the beginning and end of one, as we sit here and talk … we just don’t have one at this time that I would do.”

The mood in Dallas? It’s restless, no surprise. With Jones unable to find a desirable trade candidate, the same question has also been in the locker room. Franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, for one, has shared his stance on all the trade talk surrounding Dallas.

Dak Prescott’s faith in his current team’s defense

The Denver Broncos scored 44 points against the Dallas defense in Week 8, while holding Dallas down to just 24. That’s when the chatter grew the loudest with the November 4 trade deadline soon approaching. Post-game, Dak Prescott was asked if a trade could bring them the defensive spark they so desperately need right now. Dak’s answer? He, like Jerry, believes Dallas has the talent. They need to perform better. As the quarterback noted:

“I trust and like the guys that we have. I honestly do, and that’s not just a political answer. … Our roster is OK. Can it be better? That’s for you guys to write about and to judge. I trust those guys.”

So Prescott has doubled down on the locker room. He’s pushing teammates, not pining for a blockbuster move. The message: if Dallas wants to survive the season, it’s about this group. Prescott’s tone was no-nonsense. He’s not asking Jerry for a miracle; he’s asking the roster to earn it, especially on defense.

The focus now? Grind harder. Do more. But the Cowboys Nation is split. Some want Jones to keep dialing any GM who’ll pick up. Others echo Dak: let the team figure it out. And then some still point at the pass rush Dallas shipped off to Green Bay. 

Jerry Jones is out of options unless he makes an offer the other teams can’t refuse. Can a trade materialize before their next game against the Arizona Cardinals? If not, Dak and Jerry can only hope that their current roster can do better.