Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are moving into the 2026 season with the weight of a 30-year Super Bowl drought on their shoulders. So, the legendary owner is leaving no stone unturned in exploring trade opportunities, even after having added Von Miller.

“Yes, if we had an opportunity, I would be,” Jones said after August 17 non-padded practice when asked if he’d still be interested in a substantive move. “It’s as much about what I think of where we are, which I’m more positive than when we started camp, seriously, about what our chances are. And so I think if we saw an opportunity to take a little of the future and put it on this team, I’d do it if it would help us.”

The situation is in the Cowboys’ favor. Dallas hasn’t emptied its draft capital yet. They already traded one of its 2027 first-round picks to the New York Jets for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, and that selection will be the better of the team’s two first-rounders. Dallas also holds its second- and third-round picks in 2027, and trading those picks could also be another option.

The reason the franchise is looking to bolster even after Miller is how bad the defense was last season. The Cowboys already had a questionable pass rush, ranking 22nd with 35 sacks, and just 31st in the league with a 109.6 defensive passer rating. They needed someone like Miller, who, with the Washington Commanders, recorded nine sacks while playing in 17 regular-season games. He leads all active NFL players with 138.5 career sacks. 

Jones has kept his promise of a big defensive overhaul, but not stopping at Miller is a major indication of how strongly he believes the Cowboys are in ending the Super Bowl drought.

After all, before the 1992 season, they traded for Charles Haley. The risk paid off well as two back-to-back Super Bowl wins followed. They followed the same path by signing free agent Deion Sanders before the 1995 season, which again came with a Super Bowl victory stamp. 

There has already been trade buzz surrounding two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea. He continues to report to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ facilities as part of a “hold-in” while staying out of practice. So, the Cowboys might be his potential destination. 

No matter who it is, Jones’ ultimate goal is to get rid of the misfortunes. 

Jerry Jones received a reality check from former Dallas quarterback

Dallas going 30 years without a Super Bowl title is hard to believe for former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, who led the NFC East team to three Super Bowl titles. 

“I’ve heard Jerry say that the reason he hasn’t hired a general manager is because no one can guarantee him that making a change at GM and replacing himself would guarantee that they would be any better,” he said on the Dallas Dialogue with Dale podcast. “You have to make changes in how you’re doing it if for three decades, you’ve been unable to win back-to-back playoff games to get into a championship game.”

The Cowboys now have the longest wait for an NFC Championship Game appearance among teams in the conference. They had chances of breaking the streak last season itself. Featuring quarterback Dak Prescott and others, their offense ranked second, averaging 391.9 yards. However, the defense pushed them to the edge, ranking the third-worst in the league, averaging 377 yards. 

So, everything circles back to one factor for Jones: to win a Super Bowl. Dallas won its first preseason game since 2017, defeating Seattle 17-7. Jones liked what he saw from Christian Parker’s defense. With this, another addition could give the unit an even bigger boost.