Dallas Cowboys trade Ryan Switzer to the Oakland Raiders

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 30: Ryan Switzer
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 30: Ryan Switzer /
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After adding several wide receivers to the roster recently, the Dallas Cowboys are reportedly trading Ryan Switzer to the Oakland Raiders.

The Dallas Cowboys added several wide receivers to the roster in the past couple days. And something had to give. And the player that has been traded is apparently the Cowboys fourth round selection in 2017, Ryan Switzer.

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater, the Cowboys have sent Switzer to the Raiders in-exchange for defensive tackle Jihad Ward. The 23-year old Ward was a former second round pick out of Illinois who has started 14 games for Oakland in his first two seasons as a professional.

At 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, Ward has recorded a total of 32 tackles and a sack in his NFL career. He figures to be shifted inside for Dallas, giving them another lanky defensive tackle. The Cowboys are in need of a run-stuffing, one technique to play alongside players like Maliek Collins, David Irving, Richard Ash, Brian Price and Daniel Ross. It’s unclear if Ward came be that player.

Switzer flashed for the Cowboys as a special teams returner, but could never find a place on the offensive side of the ball playing behind Cole Beasley. With the trade for Tavon Austin earlier on Saturday, who can become the team’s new special teams returner, Switzer became expendable.

It’s a bittersweet move as the young wide receiver seemed to be a much-younger Beasley-clone. Now, Switzer joins former Cowboys’ special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia who is now with the Raiders.

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Despite the trade, the Cowboys are still overstocked at the wide receiver position. The current roster includes Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Noah Brown, KD Cannon, Lance Lenoir, Deonte Thompson and Allen Hurns plus rookies Michael Gallup and Cedrick Wilson Jr. This likely means Dallas isn’t finished making some moves. If not, the Cowboys might be forced to part with some quality wide receivers at some point.