3 players the Cowboys should avoid at all costs before NFL trade deadline

3. Darnell Mooney, WR

Another trade idea I think the Dallas Cowboys should be avoiding at all costs right now is giving up major assets for Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney. Mooney had a really good year back in 2021, a breakout campaign for the Bears where he had a whopping 140 total targets, 81 receptions, and over 1,000 yards receiving.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to come even close to matching that level of production or consistency. As a matter of fact, Mooney has three games already this season in which he has zero receptions.

You can't justify paying the price for a receiver with Mooney's talent (possibly a day 2 pick) when the production simply hasn't been there. Now, Mooney is not solely to blame for this, either. The Bears have obviously had issues schematically offensively, they have had issues with consistency at the QB position, and Mooney has also missed some time due to injury.

But all of these factors combine to make one big "buyer beware" sign. Unless Mooney is available for a Day 3 pick or pick swap similar to what we saw with Chase Claypool and the Miami Dolphins, I think this is a trade scenario the Dallas Cowboys need to avoid at all costs.

Acquiring a receiver at the deadline? Depending on the player and price, that's a different story. Again, the Cowboys should be willing to be selectively aggressive to upgrade an already good roster. But these are a few trade ideas they should absolutely avoid.