The Dallas Cowboys ... didn't make a single move before Tuesday's 3 p.m. CT trade deadline.
It's not a total surprise, as Jerry Jones' confidence in making a splash had cooled in recent weeks. That's a far cry from the start of the season, when Jones reminded everyone once a week that he was willing to make a significant move for a player who could help Dallas both now and in the future.
Looking back, it was a strange trade market. The Jaguars' blockbuster deal for Jordan Davis likely drove up the asking prices for other players around the league, making it more difficult for teams to strike deals. Only a handful of deals got over the line on Tuesday despite several reported buyers. And a host of obvious sellers were reluctant to part with their best trade chips.
That may help explain why Dallas stood pat. Speaking of which, let's not waste any more time and unpack some instant takeaways from Jerry's abnormally quiet deadline.
1. George Pickens might have a future in Dallas
The Cowboys never seemed likely to trade Pickens. In fact, ESPN reported as recently as this past weekend that Pickens is content in Dallas and that the team had no intention of moving him.
However, eyebrows were raised when Pickens was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Colts with a hamstring injury. That sparked speculation that Dallas had a trade lined up and held Pickens out to avoid risking an injury that could jeopardize the deal.
Jerry Jones shot that down on Tuesday, telling 105.3 The Fan that Pickens and Joey Porter Jr.'s absences were "100 percent injury related" and to put the trade talk "to rest."
It's not like the Cowboys didn't have offers on the table. NFL insider James Palmer reported that teams were "curious" about Pickens. It seems that an offer would have had to blow Dallas away to get the ball rolling.
The fact that Jones stood pat leaves the door open for Pickens, who is set to become a free agent after the season, to return in 2027. Another franchise tag is unlikely to end well, however, and it remains to be seen whether the front office is willing to meet his asking price of more than $30 million per year.
But Pickens is still wearing the star on his helmet. That's significant, especially considering he likely drew considerable interest before Tuesday's final buzzer.
2. Give Jerry Jones credit
It's one thing that Jerry didn't want to sell. You don't have to twist yourself into a pretzel to understand that. Are the Cowboys a good team? Heck no. But the NFC East is currently led by a very flawed Giants team. Dallas has flaws of their own, but they are still alive.
The worst thing Jones could have done was sacrifice more draft capital to improve a team with a limited ceiling. Take your pick: Khalil Mack. Alex Highsmith. Budda Baker. Patrick Queen. All four would have been upgrades, but the Cowboys -- namely Brian Schottenheimer -- haven't done nearly enough to convince anyone that this team is worth going all-in on.
The last two weeks, in particular, were jarring.
In Week 8, Dallas collapsed at home against a 2-5 Cardinals team, squandering a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead to Gardner Minshew, who led four straight touchdown drives. And in Week 9, the Cowboys trailed 23-20 against an openly tanking Colts squad with 1:36 left in regulation after leading 20-10 late in the third quarter. They were lucky to escape with a win.
I can't be the only one who was nervous that Jones would do something irresponsible. I would have been the first one to criticize him, so I have to dish out some credit for keeping his powder dry.
3. No reason to give Brian Schottenheimer any more talent
Not only are the Cowboys not one player away, but their head coach looks to be in way over his head following an encouraging first year at the helm.
It's not a perfect combination of players, but there is more than enough talent on the current roster to win this version of the NFC East.
A top-10 quarterback. Two superstar receivers. An All-Pro-caliber defensive tackle. Three first-round offensive linemen. Floor-raising vets in Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker, Rashan Gary and Cobie Durant . A blossoming rookie in Caleb Downs.
Is it enough to win a Super Bowl? Probably not. A LOT of things would have to break Dallas' way for that to happen. But is it good enough to be a playoff team? Absolutely. Without question.
And yet, they're 4-5 with home losses to the Buccaneers and Cardinals, and a late collapse against the Ravens in Rio. They've been outcoached every single week, except the Colts game.
This team is significantly less than the sum of its parts. No sense in giving Schottenheimer a Maxx Crosby or a Jordyn Brooks. See what he can do with the current roster. If Dallas falls short of the playoffs, as we all expect, then the front office has an easy decision to make.
4. Don't forget about the Joey Porter Jr. trade
If you find yourself disappointed with Dallas' inactivity, allow me to point you in the direction of the Joey Porter Jr. trade. It may not have happened before the deadline, but it still counts as an in-season trade. And the early returns have been highly encouraging.
On Oct. 1, the Cowboys sent a 2028 second-round pick to the Steelers for Porter Jr., who had been staging an unofficial holdout into the regular season after Pittsburgh failed to reach an agreement with him on a contract extension during the offseason.
Porter was really good in Pittsburgh, but he's been excellent in Dallas.
According to Pro Football Focus, Porter has been targeted just nine times across 103 coverage snaps. He's recorded as many pass breakups as completions allowed, while opposing quarterbacks have a measly 39.6 passer rating when targeting him.
The only concern has been Porter's availability. He missed Week 5 with an illness and Week 9 due to an ankle injury. And he wasn't out there during the Cardinals' comeback in Week 8.
That has been frustrating, but he's been a shutdown corner in his four starts. The defense has started to turn a corner (albeit a small one) in recent weeks, and Porter's ability to lock down one side of the field has been every bit as important as Quinnen Williams playing like the best DT in football for the past month.
Add us as a preferred source on Google