3 surprise Cowboys trade options that could tempt Jerry Jones

1. Preston Smith, DE, Green Bay Packers

One of the biggest Cowboys stars heading into free agency is Randy Gregory. The defensive end was a big piece of the defensive turnaround for Dallas in 2021 and has been a Cowboy since 2015. While many fans want to see Gregory stay, Packers DE Preston Smith could be an excellent replacement option. Gregory is expected to go for a very large contract, but he is also expected to sign a multi-year deal.

This multi-year probability is what could keep the Cowboys from re-signing Gregory. His durability hasn’t been as good as Smith’s, and injury history is always an important piece to look at with long-term deals. Additionally, Gregory has had several off-the-field issues that have kept him out of games as well. While he is a great player, it’s worth thinking about whether the Cowboy is worth a long-term investment when the front office is already short on money.

On the other hand, Dallas would be getting Smith in a trade on the last year of his contract. This means the defensive end is only a one-year commitment. It would be totally fair to expect him to continue to thrive and maybe even improve further under Dan Quinn’s system. Smith had 17 QB hits, nine tackles for loss, nine sacks, and 38 tackles this year. The defensive line could use this outright sack guy.

Smith happens to play in Green Bay alongside his “brother” Za’Darius. Knox states that it’s highly unlikely that the Packers will keep both veteran defenders given they are both will have heavy cap hits this upcoming year. While Gregory is worthy of the money he will get, signing an arguably as good or better defensive end with more durability to a one-year contract could be a smart move for Dallas.

Of course, these are all rumors and suggestions. There is no way to know what is going through Jerry’s brain. But these three tradeworthy players could fill voids in the Cowboys roster.