Back-to-back losses moved the Cowboys to 2-4. While that would position a team to consider dealing away pieces at a trade deadline, Dallas is in a strange position due to the NFC East’s lack of quality. Issues throughout the division leave it wide open.
Not exactly known to make seller’s moves at a deadline, Jerry Jones all but confirmed nothing of the sort will happen in Dallas this year. The longtime owner/GM shot down the notion (via SI.com’s Albert Breer) the team would consider selling before the November 10 deadline.
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Per usual, Jones indicated the team will be open to an “active” deadline as a buyer. “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.” This aligns with recent comments from the oft-interviewed exec. The Cowboys are not in a great spot, buyer-wise, having given up their 2027 first-round pick and 2028 second-rounder in recent deals.
The Cowboys have made memorable buyer trades from a seller position in the past. They acquired Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson last year despite sitting below .500 at the deadline. The Williams swap involved first- and second-round picks going to the Jets. In 2018, the team traded a first-rounder to the Raiders for Amari Cooper despite a 3-4 record. While the Williams trade did not move the needle much on a terrible defense last season, the Cooper swap provided a boost that helped power the 2018 Dallas edition to the playoffs.
Once again, Dallas’ defense is struggling. Christian Parker’s unit ranks 25th in points allowed, 30th in total defense and 31st in EPA per play. The Cowboys have been aggressive at bolstering that unit over the past several months. The team added Jalen Thompson in free agency, used first-round picks on Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence and made trades to acquire Rashan Gary, Dee Winters and Joey Porter Jr. That spree, along with the Parker hire, not bringing much improvement certainly provides concern. But an immediate move to further boost the unit does not look to be a front-burner matter for the team, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes.
That said, both Fowler and casino.org’s Jason La Canfora mention Josh Sweat as a potential fit. The latter views a Sweat pursuit as “very likely” for the Cowboys.
Sweat is believed to be eyeing a path out of Arizona, but he is eager for a new contract. The Cowboys have made a few high-end buyer deals lately but no new contracts came that year. Williams did sign an extension this summer, but Porter has not received a new deal. George Pickens is on the franchise tag after a strong Cowboys debut.
No Cowboy has more than two sacks this season, and only Williams has more than one through six games. Another EDGE addition would certainly be interesting for a team that traded away All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons 14 months ago. The Cowboys have added Gary and Lawrence in big-ticket moves since, but they are still struggling at the position. Lawrence made his first start in Week 6, playing opposite Gary.
Sweat, 29, is tied to a $9.78MM base salary in 2026. An acquiring team would be responsible for a prorated portion of that amount, as the season is six weeks old. That number will shrink the closer we get to the deadline, and based on where the Cardinals are with regards to contention (and considering their firing of ex-Sweat Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon), it would surprise if they did not move on from the 2025 FA addition by the deadline.
