The Dallas Cowboys' defense is finally headed in the right direction under new coordinator Christian Parker, who is everything that former DC Matt Eberflus wasn't.
Not only is Parker a better teacher -- after all, it's the core principle of his coaching -- but he understands the importance of being multiple and tailoring to players' strengths. Now, the onus is on the front office to give him the pieces to execute his vision.
Having two first-round picks certainly helps, but what if the Cowboys could trade one of them for one of the better nickel cornerbacks in the NFL? Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict believes that there's a real possibility that the Kansas City Chiefs trade two-time All-Pro Trent McDuffie.
"No one outside of Arrowhead knows how things will play out regarding McDuffie's future, and it's possible that insiders aren't sure as well," Conner wrote. "The stakes are high, and the situation is fluid, so Veach might be waiting for a number of scenarios to play out first. But a trade of McDuffie feels far more realistic now than ever, whether fans like the idea or not."
The Dallas Cowboys should be all over a Trent McDuffie trade if the opportunity arises
Jerry Jones should smell blood in the water after that admission.
While the Chiefs would create a massive hole in their secondary if they traded McDuffie, their salary cap situation is ominous. They just restructured Patrick Mahomes' contract to free up $43 million, but they are still $11 million over the threshold, with few presentable avenues to continue trimming fat.
McDuffie is up for an extension as he is slated to play the 2026 season on his fifth-year option. With two All-Pro nods under his belt, that is not going to happen.
The former first-round pick didn't have opposing receivers in handcuffs as he did in 2023 and '24, but he still ranked 17th among CBs with a 74.7 coverage grade and 11th with a 78.5 run-defense grade, per Pro Football Focus.
McDuffie won't turn 26 until September, and he can play inside and outside. What he brings from the nickel aligns perfectly with what Parker wants from the position.
"Very important," Parker said on the importance of a nickel in his defense. "That guy, he's a corner sometimes, he's a safety sometimes, he's a backer sometimes. He's a defensive end when he's blitzing.
You want to have a guy who has natural instincts and ability to feel the game and play football. He's usually a guy who if you were playing football on a Saturday afternoon in the neighborhood, he's your first-round draft pick just because he feels the game naturally."
That quote describes McDuffie to a tee.
Really, the only thing that might give the Cowboys pause is the price tag. He’s likely to command north of $20 million per year, and Dallas may hesitate to hand out another top-of-the-market contract at cornerback after watching their deals for Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland backfired.
However, the Cowboys quietly have built-in protection at the position. If DaRon Bland struggles coming off his second left foot surgery, they can move on cleanly next year. They aren’t financially boxed in at corner, which makes a potential McDuffie investment far less restrictive than it might seem on the surface.
On top of that, Kenny Clark and Terence Steele could both be off the books by then, which would further ease the cap picture and make a big swing at the position more justifiable.
Jerry Jones, you are officially on the clock.