The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the NFL’s oldest rivalries. And despite playing each other once every four seasons, they somehow always manage to play some classic games.
With Mike McCarthy now in charge in Pittsburgh, it could open some potential trades as we get closer to cutdown day. The Cowboys still maintain a good relationship with McCarthy and they’ve recently completed a trade with Dallas acquiring George Pickens just a year ago.
As McCarthy reshapes Pittsburgh’s roster, there are a few players who could be on the outside looking in. And for the Cowboys, they appear to be likely trade partners for several players. So, without further ado, here are four players for the Pittsburgh Steelers who might make sense for Dallas via trade.
4 Steelers players the Cowboys should consider trading for
Mason Rudolph - QB
The Steelers have decided that neither Aaron Rodgers nor Mason Rudolph will play in Week 2 of the preseason, as Will Howard and Drew Allar will get the snaps instead. And that makes sense, as Howard and Allar are young players who need the reps.
Rudolph is clearly the second-best quarterback in Pittsburgh, but he might not have a spot on the roster as the Steelers could opt to keep two developmental quarterbacks behind Rodgers. While Rudolph isn’t a franchise quarterback in any sense of the word, he has proven to be a viable backup.
During his five-year career in Pittsburgh (he did play one season in Tennessee), Rudolph has a passer rating of 86.7 and has averaged 6.7 yards per attempt. And those numbers came in lackluster offenses with very poor offensive coaching.
If the Cowboys wanted to get a more proven backup behind Dak Prescott, Rudolph would make a lot of sense and wouldn’t cost Dallas nearly anything.
They could still keep Joe Milton as the No. 3 QB, but Rudolph is a great backup quarterback who might thrive with a change of scenery, just like his former teammate in George Pickens.
Kaleb Johnson - RB
Just a year ago, Kaleb Johnson was one of the hottest rookie running backs coming out of the 2025 NFL Draft. He finished 54th on the consensus board, but fell to the third round to the Steelers. However, it was just a poor fit, as Johnson is primarily a downhill runner and Pittsburgh rarely played under center last season due to Aaron Rodgers.
It didn’t help that Johnson misplayed a kick return early in the season, which resulted in the Seahawks recovering a fumble for a touchdown. That kept him in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse all season and he never was able to make an impact as a rookie.
The new coaching staff in Pittsburgh apparently feels the same as Johnson did not play until the fourth quarter in the first preseason game. And according to all of the beat writers, he is not expected to make the 53-man roster this year.
Johnson could be a much better fit in Dallas, where the Cowboys are currently searching for a No. 2 running back behind Javonte Williams.
The former Iowa star needs work in the passing game, but he would be clearly the second-best runner on Dallas’ roster. And for the cost of a late-round pick swap, it might be worth seeing if the Cowboys can revive Johnson’s career.
Brock Hoffman - IOL
Dallas decided to move on from Hoffman this offseason and give him a chance to catch on elsewhere. However, what they didn’t anticipate was losing Matt Hennessey so early in the offseason. Hennessey was expected to be the backup center, but he was lost for the season after a neck injury.
The Cowboys do not have a backup center on the roster, and it’s pretty clear that the lack of depth on the interior is a problem. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has added a bunch of talent to its offensive line, including the selection of Gennings Dunker in Round 3.
Hoffman is competing for a spot on the 53-man roster in Pittsburgh, but he could have a much bigger role in Dallas this season if a trade were to happen. There’s also a chance that the Cowboys have just soured on Hoffman as a talent, but there is no denying that he would be a significant upgrade over the likes of Trevor Keegan and Nick Leverett.
Broderick Jones - OT
It’s been a strange week for the offensive tackles in Dallas.
Nate Thomas has made the switch from left tackle to right tackle and Drew Shelton has also switched sides. Terence Steele has been called out for his lack of consistency and it’s pretty clear they will be in the market for a veteran tackle sooner rather than later.
Broderick Jones is a potential trade target as he has fallen out of favor in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have two first-round picks at offensive tackle (Troy Fautanu, Max Iheanachor), on top of Dylan Cook, who played well last season. Jones is clearly the fourth OT in Pittsburgh and is entering the final year of his contract.
It’s worth noting that Jones did miss most of the 2025 season with a neck injury, but he has since been cleared and did play in Week 1 of the preseason. He has always graded out as a slightly below-average tackle, according to Pro Football Focus, but he would be a massive upgrade over Nate Thomas and Drew Shelton.
If the Cowboys are concerned about their swing tackle situation, Jones would make sense, as he’s played over 1,000 snaps at both left and right tackle during his NFL career. It likely wouldn’t cost more than a late Day 3 pick for Jones, but he could be a potential solution if Shelton or Thomas don’t improve in the preseason.
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