The Dallas Cowboys’ ineffective offense and struggling defense have led to another defeat, with Week 6 ending in a 23-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. With Dallas sinking to a 2-4 record and the trade deadline approaching fast, owner Jerry Jones has finally revealed how he plans to improve the team and salvage their 2026 season.
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According to NFL reporter Jori Epstein, Jones announced at the NFL’s annual fall league meeting in New York City that he is planning to make a deal before the trade deadline that he believes will benefit the Cowboys this season.
“I’ll be real clear, I could see being active at the trade deadline if it was something that could help the team this year,” Jones said, per Albert Breer.
When asked if the team had considered trading expensive players like wide receiver George Pickens, who is playing on a $27.3 million franchise tag, Jones specified that the team doesn’t intend to be sellers this time.
However, Epstein clarified that the team isn’t interested in trading away any players unless it comes with a massive advantage, similar to the 2025 Micah Parsons trade scenario, which provided the Cowboys with two first round draft picks along with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
But Jones still seems to be confident that this deal might finally unlock the team’s potential and put an end to the Cowboys’ two-game winless streak.
“It gives me a lot of promise. I see opportunity. And I see it legitimately because I know the things that we have the potential to do, both with our talent [and] with our schemes and adjustments,” Jones said in New York. “I’m frustrated and I’m disappointed that we’re sitting here with this record… the mirror is what everybody’s got to look for.”
Jones’ decision came right after the Cowboys lost by a massive ten-point margin against the Packers on October 18, which followed their 24-16 loss against the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sunday’s game saw the Dallas team failing to counter Green Bay’s defensive blitz and pressure packages. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw two costly interceptions and scored just one touchdown.
Surprisingly, the Cowboys’ run defense seemed to be the team’s silver lining, limiting the Packers to just 57 yards on 26 carries. But it must be kept in mind that Green Bay ranks 32nd in rushing offense, the worst in the league.
How Does Jerry Jones Plan to Improve the Team’s 2026 NFL Journey Before the Trade Deadline?
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys could be looking to add a Pro Bowl pass rusher before the trade deadline. The analyst revealed that one league executive named Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat as a potential trade candidate for Dallas.
“The Cowboys might have one more move in them. Perhaps that’s shortsighted, given their 2-4 record,” Fowler wrote in his October 21 report. “But that might as well be 4-4 in this season’s NFC East climate, where no commodity is proven and Philly’s transitional state has cracked the door open. As one team exec pointed out to me Tuesday, Josh Sweat to Dallas makes a lot of sense.”
Fowler believes that Sweat is a good fit for the Cowboys, who are in need of talent in the pass rusher position. Dan Graziano also agrees that the team’s pass rushing group, which comprises mostly younger players other than Rashan Gary, could benefit from Sweat’s veteran experience.
After all, Sweat was part of the Philadelphia Eagles team that won the Super Bowl in 2024. He has also been a consistent pass-rush threat, recording at least 10 sacks in two seasons.
But Graziano still expressed some skepticism regarding what Dallas has to offer, considering the team has severely depleted its draft capital due to aggressive roster additions this season.
After restructuring several player contracts, Dallas has roughly $33.6 million in financial salary cap space. Signing Sweat would require Jones and the front office to likely offer a third or fourth round draft pick along with absorbing the remainder of his four-year, $76.4 million contract.