Insider quickly hits Dallas Cowboys fans with a bucket of cold water after trade buzz emerges
It may be time to temper your expectations when it comes to the latest report on the Dallas Cowboys being interested in LB Azeez Al-Shaair.
Dallas Cowboys fans are daydreaming about a big-time addition at linebacker following a report from Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram indicating the front office is discussing a couple of trade options.
One of them is Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, a Pro Bowl veteran who would be a game-changer for the Dallas defense.
But before expectations get out of control, let’s consider what Texans insiders are saying, including ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime.
It’s going to be tough to get Al-Shaair
Bien-Aime’s reaction to the report on the Cowboys’ interest felt like a bucket of cold water for those hopeful of a trade for Al-Shaair materializing.
“Azeez Al-Shaair is basically DeMeco Ryan’s adopted son lol,” he wrote on social media. “That’s how tight they are. It’s the NFL so never say never but yeah.”
Bien-Ame isn’t alone in such a sentiment. In a separate post, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle also showed his skepticism around a potential trade for Al-Shaair.
“For what it’s worth, two things can be true,” Alexander wrote. “The Cowboys could very much be discussing Azeez Al-Shaair, and the Texans could very much hang up the phone and laugh I say that half-jokingly. But aside from his relationship with Ryans, Al-Shaair is the heart of the defense and a huge reason they were No. 1.”
He added: “The Texans have no plans to part ways with him, even if the Cowboys are interested. An potential extension is still on the table.”
Never say never?
As laid out above, we have seen wilder plot twists in the league before. But at minimum, it goes to show the Texans would demand higher compensation than many would expect to deal Al-Shaair.
Considering he’s in a contract year, I originally proposed dealing the Cowboys’ fourth-rounder (No. 112 overall) for him. Suddenly, with the Texans’ beat point of view taken into account, that sounds like too little.
But the Cowboys should be desperate for a linebacker. Let’s see if something comes for fruition here or in the Jordyn Brooks department—the other linebacker they’re discussing.
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