The Dallas Cowboys stayed quiet at the NFL trade deadline. Even so, several pieces of news from deadline week should be on the radar of every Cowboys fan heading into the second half of the season.

I already covered Dallas standing pat, and more specifically what that decision means for George Pickens’ future going into 2027. So I’m not going to rehash it here. Instead, here are four other developments that matter for the Cowboys, from their own backfield to the rest of the NFC East.

1. Cowboys added a RB

Dallas didn’t make a trade, but it did add a player. The Cowboys signed running back Kendre Miller to the practice squad. That gives them another candidate to complement a running back room that just lost Tyler Goodson to an injury in the win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Miller’s arrival gives the Cowboys three running backs on the practice squad. He joins Israel Abanikanda, who was a standout in the preseason, and Jashaun Corbin, who was recently signed back to the practice squad.

Which direction will Dallas go when it’s time to elevate a RB to the gameday roster? Since Miller is the newest addition, I expect him to be the one called up this weekend. The Cowboys talked about him as a running back they wanted to add. Jerry Jones even teased the move before it happened, confirming on the radio Tuesday that the team planned to add a running back that day.

Miller has big shoes to fill. Goodson was on the rise, averaging six yards per attempt against the Colts and doing a solid job complementing Javonte Williams.

2. NFC East-leading Giants stood pat

The New York Giants also stood pat, and they were linked to some big names. Rumors had the Giants in on Jeffrey Simmons before he was traded to the Chicago Bears, as well as Jonathan Taylor, who ended up staying in Indianapolis despite offers that included second-round picks.

But as my friend and colleague Joe DeLeon wrote at A to Z Sports New York, the Giants didn’t bite. The Giants decided to roll with what they’ve got, betting on a roster that may not be perfect but is well coached under John Harbaugh.

That’s a relevant piece of information for the Cowboys. The Giants are leading the NFC East, and the fact that they didn’t get reinforcements matters for anyone chasing them. We’ll find out in the coming weeks whether that bet pays off.

3. Eagles are well equipped for a rebuild

In other NFC East news, the Philadelphia Eagles are well equipped to start over. They traded away Cam Jurgens before the deadline, then dealt Jordan Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the leadup to the deadline.

All in all, Philadelphia received a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, a 2027 fifth-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick. The Eagles gave up a seventh-rounder of their own as part of those deals.

The significant part? The Eagles are looking like a team focused on the future. Job security questions surround Nick Sirianni’s staff. We don’t really know what Jalen Hurts’ future looks like either. Meanwhile, Philadelphia now holds 10 draft picks in the first or second rounds over the next three years.

It seems like general manager Howie Roseman is looking to rebuild the team again. The Eagles explored selling other players, too, though nothing came to fruition. That includes a laughable fumble by the Cincinnati Bengals’ front office, which was forced to back out of a trade that would have given Philly another pick.

Why does this matter for Dallas? The Cowboys are focused on winning now, even if it doesn’t happen this season. They are not a team equipped for a rebuild. With a division rival stockpiling picks, the urgency to win soon should only increase.

4. Most improved team is on Cowboys’ schedule

Last but not least, the most improved team of the trade deadline is on the Cowboys’ schedule. Dallas plays the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16, late in December.

Jacksonville made three trades to beef up its defense. That includes a deal for star safety Jessie Bates. The Jaguars also added Davon Godchaux at defensive tackle, as well as Davis from the Eagles.

The scary part is the Jaguars already looked like one of the best teams in the NFL. They’re like the San Francisco 49ers in the sense that they don’t seem to have a fatal flaw. They’re good on offense, they’re good on defense, they can throw it, and they can run it.

Now, they’ve added three high-impact defenders. By the time kickoff comes around in December, we’ll see whether the Cowboys are still hunting for the NFC East title or if their season is already over.