With a 3-5 record and nine games still to be played, the Dallas Cowboys are far from out of it in an unexpectedly weak NFC East. But with only one game and roughly a week separating them from the November 10 trade deadline, decisions have to be made. And the Cowboys should be sellers.
Brian Schottenheimer clearly doesn't have the goods, and winning the division is ultimately pointless if a beatdown in the playoffs is on the other side of it. With only four picks in the 2027 NFL Draft and limited salary cap space for the future, Dallas should finally consider trading George Pickens.
But he's not the only one on the Cowboys' roster that Jerry Jones should contemplate shipping off if he can get a reasonable return for them. It wouldn't be like Dallas' owner and GM to admit defeat, but if he could face the fact that this team isn't going anywhere, he'd shop Pickens and these five players.
5 players that Cowboys should consider trading, in addition to George Pickens
DeMarvion Overshown
Overshown has been a magnet for big plays in recent weeks, with a pivotal interception last game and a big forced fumble against the Cardinals. He looks like the 2023 pre-injury version of himself. And for that reason, his value is as high as it'll probably get, and Dallas could strike while the iron is hot.
He is in the final year of his deal, and it doesn't feel like the Cowboys are going to extend him, so they could try to get a pick for him in this lost year before he walks and the team gets no compensation. They are stuck with Dee Winters, but Shemar James and Jaishawn Barham have impressed.
Not to say that Overshown is expendable, but the linebacker group seems more capable of surviving right now than it previously was, and the team could always find a cheaper, younger, and potentially more durable version of him in the spring. With him, the defense is still bad, so...
T.J. Bass
Bass has always been a starter in backup's clothing, and the Cowboys got lucky that he re-signed in Dallas this past offseason. But it's unlikely that he'll do so again this coming spring, so again, Jones could try to get something for him. And teams are dying to add bodies on the interior offensive line.
Dealing him to a team like the Green Bay Packers would be hard to stomach, but others like the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars or Detroit Lions may be willing to send a pick for his services. If that is on the table, the Cowboys simply must say yes.
It's not like having depth is a bad thing, but would there be any tangible difference, in the scheme of things, if Ajani Cornelius or Nick Leverett went into the game instead of Bass? Would it be the difference in them making the playoffs? Or would having an extra Day 3 pick next April be a bit nicer?
Malik Hooker
Hooker is a reliable veteran who just signed a one-year deal this offseason, and there are several AFC teams that could use his talents as a rental. The Jaguars and Buffalo Bills would surely dangle a Day 3 pick for Hooker, and again, what is the difference between having him or not having him this year?
Might the Cowboys fall below .500 and be out of it in the division race or drop games to lowly teams like the Arizona Cardinals without him? Oh wait, they've already done that with him. So, if there is any kind of market for Hooker at all, even if it's late-round pick swap, you take it if you're Dallas.
Cobie Durant
Durant, like Hooker, is on a one-year deal. And although he missed a portion of the year due to injury, he is healthy now and has largely looked like an above-average contributor. Plenty of teams would give up a selection for that, like the Lions, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers or Chicago Bears.
Dallas already has Joey Porter Jr. to worry about, and they unfortunately cannot amicably get rid of DaRon Bland. With other young players like Shavon Revel Jr. and Devin Moore already in the fold, as well as Ameer Speed, who has no trade value, Durant is their safest bet to get some capital back here.
P.J. Locke
Locke has also been banged up this year and played in basically just two contests, so he's a bit of a mystery. But he has a strong résumé in NFL circles, and the Cowboys could justify shipping him off instead of re-signing him or letting him walk next offseason, for which they wouldn't get a comp pick.
The same teams that would be interested in Hooker would be interested in Locke, but the Bills stand out because their defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, was in Denver with Locke. Because of the small sample size, Dallas may not want to get rid of him just yet. But if folks come calling, pick up.
Others considered: Otito Ogbonnia, DaRon Bland, Broderick Jones
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