The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers have a storied rivalry, but that hasn't gotten in the way of them trading with one another.
On Saturday, Dallas acquired former Steelers first-round pick Broderick Jones to fortify their offensive tackle room. They gave up a 2027 third-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder and got a 2027 fourth back from Pittsburgh in addition to Jones.
If it turns out anything like the George Pickens trade, the Cowboys will have made out like bandits. Why not dip right back into the Steelers well?
In a stunning move, Pittsburgh released veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts on Sunday. Roberts needs to be hidden on passing downs, but he's an absolute fiend against the run. He'd be an ideal bridge to Jaishawn Barham, who overpursued on multiple occasions in Friday's preseason finale.
The Dallas Cowboys should sign LB Elandon Roberts after Steelers release
As a vested veteran with at least four years of accrued NFL experience, Roberts was released, not waived. He counts as a "contract termination" on the transaction sheet and becomes an immediate free agent eligible to sign anywhere without having to pass through waivers.
It's worth noting that the Steelers may have released Roberts with a handshake agreement to re-sign him once they work through their initial 53-man roster.
If that's not the case, Dallas should be all over this.
Barham showed on Friday that he needs some molding. He'll learn to play under control, but maybe Cowboys fans put the cart before the horse by penciling him into the Week 1 starting lineup.
Even so, Barham is going to be a huge player for Dallas. Having a bridge in place would be ideal, but more importantly, adding Roberts would drastically improve the floor of the linebacker room.
The Cowboys could really use another proven linebacker
Think how much better you'd feel about the position with a rotation of DeMarvion Overshown, Jaishawn Barham, Elandon Roberts, and Dee Winters. You wouldn't have to break glass if one of them suffered an injury.
The Cowboys wouldn't have to rely on Justin Barron or Shemar James to play significant snaps, and we wouldn't be talking about Curtis Robinson potentially making the 53.
Johnson's 76.7 run-defense grade last season ranked 21st out of 88 linebackers graded by Pro Football Focus. He posted a sparkling 90.1 run-defense grade in 2024 and a 72.5 mark the year prior.
In terms of triggering downhill and shedding blocks, Roberts is still as good as they come. That brand of violence and physical enforcement is precisely the type of toughness Dallas has sought out this offseason while rebuilding its defense.
Now 32 years old, Roberts showed his age in open space this preseason. He'll need to have a specific role, but the Cowboys can afford to do that given their trust in Overshown, Barham, and Winters. Think of it like signing Von Miller to be a designated pass rusher.
As long as the Steelers don't plan on re-signing Roberts once they've got their ducks in a row, Dallas should be involved here.
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