The Dallas Cowboys' Week 6 injury report reads like a 10-year-old's Christmas list. While they are expected to get back some big pieces, it will be at least another couple of weeks before they are whole again. And that doesn't even include players who entered training camp rehabbing, like DeMarvion Overshown, Shavon Revel Jr., and Josh Butler.
It would behoove Dallas to be aggressive at the trade deadline to overcome some of its injuries and roster shortcomings. But the front office should also be willing to trade away players in separate deals.
There will be logjams at multiple positions once the Cowboys start to get healthier. These players in particular could become expendable as we inch closer to the Nov. 4 deadline.
3 Cowboys who could get traded once injured starters return
WR Jalen Tolbert
Tolbert has been on the de facto trade block since the summer for many Cowboys fans. The former third-round pick is one of the most experienced wide receivers on the roster, but he has since seen KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy leapfrog him in the pecking order.
With Turpin and CeeDee Lamb both sidelined in Week 5, it was Flournoy, not Tolbert, who emerged as WR2 behind George Pickens with six catches for a team-high 114 yards. Tolbert didn't catch a single pass in the game.
Jonathan Mingo is on the verge of returning from his knee injury. Mingo will likely be eased back in, but his return will likely push Tolbert further down the totem pole. With Tolbert out of a contract after the season, he is definitely someone Dallas should look to cash in on while they still can.
DT Mazi Smith
Smith could get traded regardless of the state of the interior defensive line. He's found himself on the periphery of the rotation after being a healthy scratch to start the year. You'd think that would light a fire under Smith to come out blazing the last three games, but that hasn't been the case.
The 2023 first-round pick has played a total of 51 defensive snaps, and he has just two pressures to go with zero tackles and zero defensive stops to show for it. He enters Week 6 ranked 176th out of 186 interior defenders with a 36.2 run-defense grade, per Pro Football Focus.
It's much of the same from Smith. The Cowboys might only be able to fetch a sixth- or seventh-round pick for him, but his playing time will be even more scarce once camp and preseason standout Perrion Winfrey returns from injured reserve, which should be soon.
LB Damone Clark
It speaks volumes that Clark can't find a consistent role in this linebacker room. Widely regarded as a strength of the team over the summer, you can argue that no position has been worse over the first five games. Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn have been abject disasters, and Marist Liufau is still learning to play under control.
A healthy scratch for the last two games after playing 75 total snaps the first three weeks, Clark is someone the Cowboys could look to shop for a Day 3 pick. DeMarvion Overshown is hoping to return by mid-to-late November, and Dallas may go shopping for another linebacker between now and the deadline.