The Dallas Cowboys saved their season on Monday night to improve to 3-4, and they should be favored in four of their next five matchups. If they play with the same energy and purpose they brought to Philly, there's no reason to think Jerry Jones won't be active before the NFL trade deadline.
Jones has made it very clear that, despite having limited draft capital, he is willing to mortgage more of Dallas' future to bring in an impact player.
Even though the Cowboys don't have a seat at the contender's table, we are still talking about the Dallas Cowboys. By hook or by crook, Jerry Jones will find a way to be involved in the deadline madness.
With that in mind, here is a Cowboy trade deadline primer jam-packed with everything you need to know.
- When is the 2026 NFL trade deadline?
- Jerry Jones on the Cowboys' plans
- The Cowboys' biggest needs
- Ranking Dallas' trade targets by level of realism
- How much draft capital do the Cowboys have left?
When is the 2026 NFL trade deadline?
- Date: November 10, 2026Â
- Time: 3 p.m. CT
- Cowboys’ upcoming schedule: vs. Cardinals (Nov. 1), at Colts (Nov. 8)
We'll know all we need to know about the Cowboys before the deadline. Arizona and Indianapolis are two of the worst teams in football. If Dallas can't get to 5-4, Jerry Jones might need to swallow his ego and consider selling off players who won't be back in 2027.
Jerry Jones on the Cowboys' plans
Naturally, Jones has been asked about the trade deadline at every turn. And predictably, he has hemmed and hawed about his intentions.
Last week at the owners' meetings, Jones made it clear that he is open for business.
"I’ll be real clear, I could see being active at the trade deadline if it was something that could help the team this year," Jones said.
Jones backpedaled slightly following the Cowboys' primetime win in Philadelphia, expressing that it is "unlikely" that the right opportunity will present itself.
"If we could do it where we sit right now, I would add to it," Jones said. "But the adding to it is a big statement. It's unlikely we'll get the opportunity from outside coming in. But if it's there, I'll do it."
It's important to remember that Jones knows how to play the media game, making it fair to wonder if his sudden change of tone is strategic. Think about it. The Cowboys have already advertised their desire to make another splash. Continuing to do so would only give potential trade partners more leverage.
By saying another trade is "unlikely" while simultaneously leaving the door ajar, Jones is basically putting the ball in the rest of the league's court. He may still make the first move, but the 84-year-old also wanted it out there that he's not as desperate to wheel and deal as he may appear.
The Cowboys' biggest needs
1. Edge rusher
Can I put edge rusher twice? It's impossible to sugarcoat: Donovan Ezeirauku and Rashan Gary have been major letdowns this season. Ezeiruaku, at least, is creating pressure at a decent clip. Finishing has been his biggest issue, as he picked up his first sack of the year Monday night.
Gary, though, would not be playing as much as he is if the Cowboys had a better alternative. Believe it or not, he has more pressures and a better pass-rush win rate than Ezeiruaku. That's why the eye test is so important.
Gary will play well in spurts -- like in Week 4 against the Texans -- but his week-to-week consistency just hasn't been there, especially against the run. Through Week 7, he ranks 85th among edge defenders with a 4.0 percent run-stop rate (minimum 100 snaps), per SÅ«mer Sports.
The Cowboys badly need to upgrade the position. Even with Quinnen Williams rediscovering his All-Pro form, Dallas can't generate any pressure with a four-man rush.
2. Linebacker
DeMarvion Overshown returned from a five-game absence in Week 7, and he showed flashes of the player who was on a Pro Bowl trajectory in 2023, making five stops, breaking up a pass and clinching the win for Dallas with a fourth-quarter interception.
With Shemar James wearing the green dot, Overshown was free to play fast and attack, which is exactly how to unlock the best version of him.
The problem with this position group is that Jaishawn Barham defends the run really well, but looks lost in coverage. James can hold up in coverage, but isn't as good against the run.
Green dot responsibilities can get overblown, but Dallas could still use an adult in the room with experience playing the MIKE and commanding a defense. Not only would it stabilize the spine of the defense, but it would also allow Christian Parker to tap into Barham's versatility, potentially using him more off the edge than as a three-down LB to help spark the pass rush.
3. Cornerback
The positives of the CB room: Joey Porter Jr. The negatives: pretty much everything else.
DaRon Bland has not hurt the defense as much in the last two weeks, but he is still playing more than his form would suggest. In fact, he played the most snaps (58) of any Cowboys cornerback against the Eagles. Porter Jr. played 51, Caleb Downs played 53 (49 in the nickel), Cobie Durant played 24 and Shavon Revel brought up the rear with eight snaps.
That should be enough talent to get by, but seeing the impact Porter Jr. has had in the secondary, I'm not sure Jerry Jones should balk at the opportunity to get a better CB2 in the building. It needs to be addressed in the offseason. Why not get a head start?
Ranking Dallas' trade targets by level of realism
Probably won't happen, but would be amazing
Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, Chargers
The Chargers are, without question, football's most disappointing team. A popular AFC Championship Game pick before the season, Jim Harbaugh's squad is the last winless team.
Their record is hardly a reflection of Tuipulotu's play. On a better team, he'd be generating Pro Bowl buzz. He's currently top 10 among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate (16.3 percent), impact plays (22) and pressure rate (20.2 percent).
Tuipulotu has been equally disruptive against the run, tying for third among edge defenders with five run stuffs while ranking seventh with 10 run stops. He's also forced two fumbles.
The Chargers would be smart to keep Tuipolutu and extend him after the season. But if they fully embrace tanking, maybe -- just maybe -- they'll make the 24-year-old available.
Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Raiders
It's pretty nutty how much can change in a few months.
In March, Crosby was headed to Baltimore for two first-round picks. If not for a failed physical, he'd still be a Raven.
Now, the Raiders are punching above their weight class with a 3-4 record. They've come back down to earth with two straight losses, but their hot start may convince general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady to hang on to Crosby.
If Las Vegas has a change of heart, though, Jerry Jones will be interested. The Cowboys were runners-up for Crosby in March and, as recently as the start of training camp, Jones confirmed that he never lost interest in a Crosby trade.
Crosby hasn't lit up the box score, but only Will Anderson has made more impact plays among edge rushers than Crosby's 34, per SÅ«mer Sports.
Very realistic
Jordyn Brooks, LB, Dolphins
Speaking of revisiting past trade interest, Brooks should be one of Dallas' top targets. The Dolphins are 1-5, and rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who may mess around and take home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, would soften the blow of parting with a vet like Brooks.
Even though Brooks inked an extension with Miami before the season, it was structured in a way that makes it movable, suggesting the front office knew a trade could materialize if the team fell out of contention.
The 29-year-old Brooks remains one of the best off-ball linebackers in the game. He hasn't been as noticeable due to Rodriguez's ascension, but that takes nothing away from Brooks, who was a first-team All-Pro last season. His 78.1 PFF run-defense grade this year is ninth among all linebackers.
Josh Sweat, EDGE, Cardinals
Sweat might be the most realistic of this group. ESPN insiders Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler have both named Sweat a potential target for the Cowboys because of his fit. Fowler heard the following from an unnamed NFC executive:
"Sweat to Dallas makes a lot of sense to me. That's a profile fit."
Like I said: very realistic. It must be noted, though, that Sweat is off to a really slow start this season. That could be chalked up to him completely checking out. He requested a trade over the offseason after the Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon. Maybe his heart isn't in it.
Jerry Jones and Co. had better do their homework in that regard. The absolute last thing this franchise needs is giving up more draft capital for a player who's playing through an injury or just has completely fallen off at 29 years old.
The best version of Sweat would be a big-time upgrade for this defense. For whatever reason, that player has not shown up yet this season.
Yaya Diaby, EDGE, Buccaneers
The NFC South could give the NFC East a run for its money as the worst division in football. Things get weird in that division, so the Buccaneers are not dead at 2-5. Having said that, it would be foolish to keep a tradable asset like Yaya Diaby on the outside chance they turn things around.
Diaby exploded for three sacks on just 22 snaps in Tampa Bay's win over Carolina in Week 6. The former third-round pick seems to be coming into his own in Year 4, but that takes nothing away from his first three seasons, across which he compiled 19 sacks, 38 tackles for loss and 47 QB hits.
The 27-year-old will need a new contract after the season, but he's someone Dallas should feel good about starting at one of their edge spots in 2027. You can't say that right now about Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku or Malachi Lawrence.
Khalik Mack, EDGE, Chargers
You can almost write it in stone that Mack will be on the move. The Chargers are 0-6. He's been a great servant for LA, so the team should want to do right by him. And his contract is incredibly easy to move, given its salary ($6.6 million) and expiration date (after the season).
Along with Tuipulotu, Mack has performed at a relatively high level despite the Chargers' woes on the defensive side of the ball. He's posted 20 pressures, a 14.4 percent pressure rate and 12 run stops, proving he can still do a job as a two-way edge defender.
Jerry Jones may not want to enter a bidding war for a 35-year-old who may not have a future in Dallas beyond this season. Mack will have a robust market, but it stands to reason that Jones will at least check in on the former Defensive Player of the Year.
How much draft capital do the Cowboys have left?
Other than the Los Angeles Rams, no potential deadline buyer needs to be more mindful of their future draft capital than the Cowboys. Jerry Jones has parted with several picks over the last 12 months in an effort to spearhead a defensive turnaround that is taking longer than anticipated.
A breakdown of Dallas' draft ammunition over the next two years paints a telling picture:
Cowboys' 2027 draft picks
- 1st round - The lower of their pick and Green Bay's first-round pick
- 2nd round - Original pickÂ
- 4th round - Steelers pickÂ
- 7th round - Patriots pick (from Houston)
It's very unlike the Cowboys to only have four picks in a single draft. At their core, they are a draft-and-develop team, but a poor batting average on defensive draft picks dating back several years can explain why they have limited resources -- even post-Micah Parsons -- to improve the roster next April.
Quinnen Williams (2027 first), Broderick Jones (2027 third), Rashan Gary (2027 fourth), George Pickens (2027 fifth), Joey Porter (2027 sixth) were all acquired for 2027 draft picks.
Cowboys' 2028 draft picks
- 1st round - Original pickÂ
- 3rd round - Original pickÂ
- 4th round - Original pickÂ
- 5th round - Original pickÂ
- 6th round - Original pickÂ
- 6th round - Saints pick
The Cowboys already tapped into their 2028 draft resources when they sent their second-rounder to Pittsburgh for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. That already looks like a worthwhile endeavor, but it just goes to show that Jerry Jones and Co. will need to tread carefully while working the phones.
The cupboard is not bare, but it's as thin as Cowboys fans can remember. That reality has to factor into every conversation Dallas has about upgrading the roster before 3 p.m. CT on November 10.
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