Cowboys stay put at NFL trade deadline, accept major risk
The 2023 NFL trade deadline has come and gone and the Dallas Cowboys have unsurprisingly stayed put. The front office's conservative approach to team building is no secret and this year they've already dealt away multiple picks as they landed Brandin Cooks, Stephon Gilmore, and Trey Lance in the offseason. A trade was never likely […]
The 2023 NFL trade deadline has come and gone and the Dallas Cowboys have unsurprisingly stayed put.
The front office's conservative approach to team building is no secret and this year they've already dealt away multiple picks as they landed Brandin Cooks, Stephon Gilmore, and Trey Lance in the offseason. A trade was never likely to happen.
“I’m not seeing anything at this moment," Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning. He added the Cowboys would need time to pull off a move ahead of the 4 p.m. ET landmark. It's now safe to say, they didn't.
The news comes despite a report on Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson drawing the Cowboys' interest. The Bears, however, kept their rising boundary cornerback even though multiple contenders, including the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, seemed to be interested in him.
This particular aspect of the trade deadline confirms one major risk that the Cowboys have accepted for the rest of the 2023 NFL season. Let's dive in.
The biggest risk the Cowboys accepted at the trade deadline
While many would assume the Cowboys' biggest need was at linebacker, the truth is they actually seemed set there. Markquese Bell is playing at a surprisingly good level and Damone Clark has done his part. Leighton Vander Esch should return at one point this season and Rashaan Evans, who debuted as a Cowboy in Week 8, provides experienced depth.
In fact, I believe the Cowboys' biggest need remains at cornerback. While it's widely accepted that "you can't have enough defensive ends," the same is true for cornerbacks in a league that lives and dies by 11 personnel groupings (three wide receivers).
Although the Cowboys have had no problem playing without Trevon Diggs thanks to DaRon Bland's meteoric rise and Stephon Gilmore's experience on the outside, the truth is this unit is one injury away from potential disaster. You see, it wasn't just Bland who filled in for Diggs but Jourdan Lewis taking over Bland's own spot at nickel.
Lewis isn't any other backup, as he was a starter in Quinn's system before Bland. After him, however, the Cowboys don't have any proven players. The depth of the team consists of Noah Igbinoghene, Nahshon Wright, and rookie Eric Scott Jr. (yet to be active this season). You could add Israel Mukuamu to the mix, who actually played nickel cornerback in the playoffs last season.
Cowboys: Dan Quinn hints at new strategy to stop Eagles’ Tush Push
Hoping it works.
