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Cowboys Release DT Jordan Phillips

November 5th, 2024 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Involved in an intra-NFC East trade this summer, Jordan Phillips has now been jettisoned from two teams in that division. The Cowboys moved on from the veteran defensive tackle Tuesday.

The Giants had traded Phillips to their division rivals in August, but the Cowboys placed him on IR early this season. Phillips, 32, played in just two games with Dallas. That satisfied the terms of the Dallas-New York trade, even though the swap did not move the needle for the Cowboys. Although Phillips considered retirement after last season, he had inked a one-year, $1.79MM Giants deal. New York traded Phillips and a 2026 seventh-round pick to Dallas for a 2026 sixth-rounder.

Dallas had designated Phillips for return from IR, but since the team will not move him back to its active roster, it will not lose one of its remaining activations. Phillips still had another week to return to Dallas’ 53-man roster, but he is no longer in that window. The Cowboys have only activated DaRon Bland from IR this season, leaving them with seven such moves to use in the second half.

Phillips spent the previous two seasons with the Bills, returning to Buffalo after his Cardinals deal did not work out. The Cards cut Phillips in 2022, leading him back to the Bills, with whom the interior D-line presence had played previously. Phillips finished with 9.5 sacks in 2019, leading to a three-year, $30MM Cardinals deal. That proved an outlier campaign from a pass-rushing standpoint, but the Bills used the proven DT as a regular upon re-signing him.

DaQuan Jones‘ pectoral tear last season brought Phillips back into Buffalo’s starting lineup, but after he had logged nine starts for the AFC East champs, a dislocated wrist shut him down. More wrist trouble led Phillips to IR this year, though the 10-year contributor said he, in fact, was not injured and thus disputed the transaction. It went through, and he will not end up exiting IR with Dallas.

Panthers Trade Jonathan Mingo To Cowboys

November 5th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones‘ mystery wide receiver is now revealed. The Cowboys will make a deal with the Panthers, who are sending Jonathan Mingo to the NFC East team, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

In a corresponding move, Pelissero notes cornerback Andrew Booth has been waived. The 2022 Viking made only a pair of starts across two seasons in Minnesota. The former second-rounder was dealt to the Cowboys in a swap for fellow corner Nahshon Wright back in August, giving both players a change of scenery. Booth, 24, played just 38 snaps with Dallas and he will now hit the waiver wire.

Mingo was viewed as a player no longer in Carolina’s plans, and the 2023 second-rounder had not caught on in either of the two offensive systems in which he has played. The Cowboys are taking a flier on a player who was a top-40 pick just last year. The Cowboys will add Mingo and a seventh-round pick, while the Panthers will receive a fourth-rounder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

[RELATED: Panthers Deal Diontae Johnson To Ravens]

Mentioned in PFR’s rundown of the WR trade market, Mingo joins Adam Thielen as players the Panthers appeared OK dealing. Thielen remains with Carolina, but the 34-year-old veteran is believed to be eager to join a contender. Thielen is signed through 2025 but profiles as a cut candidate next year — due to his age and his ’25 salary being nonguaranteed. The Panthers have already dealt two of their WRs; a third would certainly be interesting, even for a rebuilding team.

This is a better return than the Panthers received for Diontae Johnson, who fetched merely a Day 3 pick swap in the Ravens trade. Mingo being signed through 2026 undoubtedly procured that for the Panthers, as the Cowboys will have multiple years to evaluate the Ole Miss alum. Mingo’s age (23) and contract status factored into this value, as it is worth noting the Cowboys-Browns Amari Cooper trade and the Dallas-Houston Brandin Cooks swap did not involve a fourth-round pick.

Mingo managed a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 220 pounds during the 2023 Combine, leading to the Cowboys showing interest, per Jones. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Mingo as its No. 37 overall prospect. Mingo only topped 300 receiving yards in one of his four Rebels seasons, however, with the 2022 campaign bringing 861 yards and five touchdowns last season. But he still caught the Panthers’ eye before becoming the No. 39 overall pick last year. Carolina had managed to keep No. 39 despite acquiring Bryce Young via trade-up; that decision led to Carolina trading No. 61 to Chicago, which also acquired the Panthers’ 2025 second-rounder in that seminal swap.

The Cowboys had chosen Jalen Tolbert in the 2022 third round and had traded for Cooks shortly before last year’s draft. Cooks is now on IR. Mingo profiles as more of a developmental piece compared to one that will immediately reignite the Cowboys like Cooper did following a 2018 in-season trade. Mingo has just 12 receptions for 121 yards this season. During a rookie season that featured Frank Reich being fired after 11 games, Mingo managed 43 catches for 418 yards. He does not yet have an NFL touchdown. Under the hood, The33rdTeam.com notes Mingo ranks either last or second-to-last in yards per route run and catch rate for players with 50 receptions since 2023.

Mingo will now join Tolbert and CeeDee Lamb in Dallas’ receiving corps. Carolina, meanwhile, has until 3pm CT today to decide on trading Thielen. It is also possible Thielen becomes a post-deadline release, though that is far from certain. The Panthers will retool around rookie first-rounder Xavier Legette and rookie UDFA Jalen Coker.

Cowboys Planning To Trade For WR

November 5th, 2024 at 8:42am CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jones has not seen his 2024 team deliver on his expectations, but the Cowboys are not selling. In fact, the owner confirmed a full-fledged effort to buy is underway.

After Jones appeared to show more interest in adding before today’s deadline, he said during a 105.3 The Fan interview (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) a wide receiver trade should be expected. This is certainly an interesting development, as the Cowboys are 3-5, and it all but signals a trade is imminent.

[RELATED: Examining Final Stage Of WR Trade Market]

Jones indicated this mystery pass catcher drew interest from the team coming out of the draft — whichever one said player was part of. The Cowboys have Brandin Cooks on IR, leaving CeeDee Lamb short on complementary help. Lamb is also iffy for Week 10, but the All-Pro is not certain to be out. The recently extended WR1 suffered an AC joint injury in Week 9.

The receiver market has seen several dominoes fall already, though a few trade chips remain. It would be borderline stunning if the Giants dealt Darius Slayton to a division rival, so that path is probably closed. One of the Patriots’ trade pieces could be in play here. Beyond Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton are believed to be available. Ditto Adam Thielen, but he would not qualify as a player a team liked in the draft; after all, Thielen is 34 and latched on with the Vikings after impressing at a rookie minicamp.

The Jets initially made Mike Williams available upon acquiring Davante Adams — a player the Cowboys checked on before quickly exiting that market due to contract reasons — but after Allen Lazard hit IR, Gang Green may now be fine keeping the former top-10 pick. The Chargers also may have Josh Palmer available; the former third-round pick is in a contract year and is not believed to be part of the team’s post-2024 plans.

A 2018 trade for Amari Cooper, who cost a first-round pick, ignited the Cowboys and keyed a turnaround that produced an NFC East title. The Cowboys have been effectively trying to replace Cooper since trading him to the Browns in 2022. Cooks has not proven wildly underwhelming, but he is now 31 and has not been as effective compared to his work following the other three trades in which he was involved. This Cowboys team is also, especially considering Dak Prescott‘s imminent IR placement due to a hamstring injury, in bigger trouble than the ’18 edition was.

Dallas has neither impressed on offense or defense. Prescott ranks 25th in QBR, while Mike Zimmer’s troops rank 31st in points allowed and 27th in total defense.

Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks; Door Open For Trey Lance?

November 4th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys’ slide has called into question their offseason decisions, with Jerry Jones‘ inactivity at the center of many discussions. The longtime owner did ultimately pay his two contract-year standouts, however, but the deals for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have preceded a 3-5 record.

This situation may well worsen soon, as Prescott’s hamstring injury is expected to sideline him. Tests have revealed the issue to be worse than initially suspected, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, who report a multiweek absence is on tap for the ninth-year quarterback. Although Prescott will seek a second opinion, Rapoport adds, at least a short-term absence should be anticipated.

Jones had said he was worried about Prescott’s availability for Dallas’ Week 10 matchup against Philadelphia, and the reigning MVP runner-up went through an MRI today. Prescott damaged his hamstring on a scramble against the Falcons, per AllDLLS.com’s Clarence Hill, but visibly aggravated it during a subsequent pass attempt. It is not yet known if IR is in play, though committing to Prescott missing four games would be a risk due to Dallas’ early-season struggles.

The injury moved two-stint Dak backup Cooper Rush into action, as the former UDFA replaced Prescott as he did in 2022 during the starter’s time away due to a finger injury. Rush is the Cowboys’ backup, but EVP Stephen Jones opened the door to some Trey Lance work (via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris) as well. Lance joins Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones as 2021 first-round QB draftees in contract years as reserves. Wilson and Lance, the Nos. 2 and 3 picks that year, entered the season as third-stringers.

After it looked like Prescott would go into a contract year, the Cowboys finalized a deal hours before their Week 1 kickoff in Cleveland. Prescott’s extraordinary leverage led to a $60MM-per-year extension that included the no-tag and no-trade clauses his second deal — which also came with the QB in a unique leverage position — ended up including. This came after the Cowboys made Lamb the NFL’s second-highest-paid wide receiver. While injuries elsewhere have hurt this Cowboys edition, the Joneses have received scrutiny for not doing more to add talent elsewhere. These expenses also came months before true Micah Parsons extension negotiations are expected to begin.

Prescott, 31, has bounced back from absences before. He finalized his first Dallas extension — four years, $160MM — after a season-ending ankle injury. Dak returned and did not miss a start due to injury for the 2021 Cowboys, though he admitted this offseason his ankle injury has continued to affect him and require regular maintenance. Following the finger issue, Prescott returned that October and has not missed a start since. That streak is expected to stop at 36 games, introducing more obstacles for a struggling Cowboys squad.

Last year’s second-team All-Pro passer, Prescott sits 25th in QBR this season. The Cowboys brought down his historic cap hit this year but are tied to the former fourth-round find through at least 2027 now. Prescott is due a $47.75MM base salary in 2025, and the Cowboys will need to adjust his cap number — pushing more money into future years — due to it currently residing at $89.89MM. Even the Browns’ Deshaun Watson contract/calamity does not enter that neighborhood in terms of cap hits. The Cowboys will hope Prescott bounces back, but he received tremendous security in September.

Lance receiving work would represent the most interesting component here, as he has gone from 2022 49ers Week 1 starter to afterthought. Sam Darnold beat out Lance to back up Brock Purdy in 2023, leading to the Cowboys giving up a fourth-round pick for the former North Dakota State star. Lance’s career quickly drifted off track, and the ankle fracture he sustained in 2022 moved him to a crossroads.

No real updates have changed that status, despite a rumor indicating Lance could leapfrog Rush for the QB2 gig. That did not end up happening. The Cowboys could certainly consider going with a higher-upside play rather than Rush, though the latter has seen extensive work in Mike McCarthy‘s offense and offers more stability. At 3-5 and in a lame-duck year, McCarthy will obviously lean toward stability over development. Though, it would be interesting if ownership overruled him — given the HC’s contract status — on a potential play to see what Lance can contribute.

Latest On Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott Discipline

November 4th, 2024 at 12:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys dropped to 3-5 on the year with a Sunday loss to the Falcons. A main talking point before the contest was the absence of running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Team and player mutually decided he would not travel to Atlanta in the wake of Dallas’ choice to make him inactive for Week 9. That move has since led to reports of tardiness in team meetings, a common cause for such moves. Other factors could be in play – such as a lack of playing time in his second Cowboys stint – but for the time being Elliott’s absence is strictly viewed as a disciplinary measure.

“Well, it was a decision that Zeke understands, and so that’s the way it is,” owner Jerry Jones said when speaking after the game (via the team’s website). “And he’s one of the best team men. He’s one of the best workers that I’ve ever been around, and he was just that and has been that, and that [decision] was unconditionally a result of him being late for meetings.

“… I can’t emphasize enough what an exemplary teammate Zeke is, and I want to be real clear about that. In my mind, he’s what a football player is all about. But this was a discipline thing.”

Elliott’s first Cowboys stint came to an expected end in the 2023 offseason, paving the way for his one-year Patriots tenure. The former rushing champion did not enjoy an efficient campaign with New England, although he did lead the team in receptions and total 955 scrimmage yards. A Dallas reunion came about shortly after this past draft (one in which the Cowboys did not add a rookie running back), allowing for Elliott to handle a role in the team’s backfield committee.

As the season has progressed, though, Rico Dowdle has emerged as the clear-cut top option on the league’s 31st-ranked rushing attack. Veteran Dalvin Cook has been elevated from the practice squad each of the last two weeks, but the former Vikings Pro Bowler has managed only 20 yards on eight carries to date. Nevertheless, keeping both Cook and Elliott (who has averaged a new career low with 3.1 yards per carry this year) in place as backups would likely be redundant.

Elliott’s discipline has generated speculation about a trade being possible, and Jones said yesterday the Cowboys are likely to make a move or two before tomorrow afternoon’s deadline. At 29 and with a poor showing on the statsheet in 2024, Elliott’s value would not be particularly high to interested teams. That could sway Jones in favor of keeping him, something further suggested by this latest vote of confidence.

Cowboys Expecting To Be Active Ahead Of Trade Deadline

November 3rd, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jerry Jones made it clear he expected the Cowboys’ continuity on the roster and along the sidelines to generate a strong showing in 2024. The team’s owner and general manager has since seen his team encounter a number of issues en route to a 3-5 start to the campaign.

When speaking to the media after Dallas’ loss to Atlanta, Jones said the team “has some things in the mix” with respect to the upcoming trade deadline. The Cowboys have until Tuesday afternoon to swing one or more trades aimed at boosting their roster for the second half of the campaign. Jones added a buyer’s stance is likely on Dallas’ part.

“We’ll probably do a couple things this week,” Jones said (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “I’m a long way from being dismayed about this team this year.”

Heading into Week 9, Jones admitted the season has been more of a struggle than he anticipated for Dallas. Those comments opened the door to moves being made on the trade front, as the Cowboys could look to make one or more additions in an attempt to remain in playoff contention. The team has posted a 12-5 record in each of the past three seasons; matching that mark is now essentially impossible, but a wild-card berth in the NFC is not out of reach at this point.

Adding depth on defense in particular could be useful given the Cowboys’ injuries along the edge. The team’s offense could certainly use shoring up as well, though, and plenty of players on both sides of the ball have been connected to a trade in recent weeks. Dallas has over $21MM in cap space, so a rental addition will certainly be feasible. Given Jones’ indication multiple moves could be coming, the Cowboys will be among the teams worth watching over the next two days.

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Not Traveling With Team For Disciplinary Reasons

November 3rd, 2024 at 7:51am CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 3, 07:51am: Adding further context to the situation, Jane Slater of the NFL Network reports that Elliott has been “distracted” this season, which has led to “habitual tardiness.” Elliott has also missed three team meetings this year, and after he failed to attend such a meeting on Friday, both he and the Cowboys determined that it would be better if he did not attend the club’s Week 9 matchup with the Falcons.

NOVEMBER 2, 9:47pm: No single incident is believed to be at the heart of today’s move, per Hill, who adds Elliott attended practice today. Rather, tension between team and player has been building over a period of weeks before the decision was reached to keep him absent from the organization for Week 9. It will certainly be interesting to see how this situation develops moving forward.

NOVEMBER 2, 3:10pm: The Cowboys will be short one of their two main rushers in Atlanta tomorrow as DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. reports that veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott will not be traveling with the team for this week’s game. ESPN’s Todd Archer adds that Elliott’s new game status is the result of “disciplinary reasons.”

While the loss may not seem critical, as Elliott has only accumulated 149 rushing yards in seven games this season, Elliott is the only running back on the team to score a rushing touchdown this year. He is responsible for two of the team’s three rushing scores all season. Stats like this underline how the Cowboys have ended up being the league’s 32nd-best running offense through eight weeks of football. With only 519 rushing yards on the season, the Cowboys are 113 yards behind the 31st-place Raiders and 1,081 yards behind the league-leading Ravens.

At 29 years old, Elliott is far-removed from his days of leading the league in rushing back in 2016 and 2018. He hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards since 2021. Elliott has missed games with injury before and he’s been a healthy scratch in games before, but this is the first time Elliott will miss a game as a healthy scratch in a game that isn’t in the last week of the season.

With Elliott out, the league’s worst rushing offense will depend more heavily on starter Rico Dowdle, who has 246 rushing yards this season but adds an element through the air, as well, with 131 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. The only other active roster running back is the diminutive Deuce Vaughn, though the team has announced that it will elevate veteran rusher Dalvin Cook for the game tomorrow. Cornerback Josh Butler will join Cook for the week off of the practice squad.

Jerry Jones: Cowboys Open To Trade Addition

November 1st, 2024 at 10:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Sitting at 3-4 on the year, the Cowboys have several areas to improve on for the latter stages of the season. Indications from earlier this month pointed to a quiet approach to the upcoming trade deadline, but the team is at least looking into potential additions.

During his latest appearance on 105.3 The Fan, owner Jerry Jones acknowledged the Cowboys are “looking for meat on the bone that can improve our team” (h/t ESPN’s Todd Archer). That represents a contrast to Jones’ previous remarks on the subject, which indicated a confidence in Dallas’ current roster and coaching staff. The 2024 season has not gone according to plan so far, as Jones also conceded.

“I think we’re having a rougher go than I anticipated,” he added (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “It is rougher, and I did not anticipate the challenges that we’re having with this team… It’s really a plus that we’ve won three games.”

Of course, injuries on defense have become a problem which Dallas could stand to address in the near future. Edge rushers Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Marshawn Kneeland could all return at some point during the year, but their absences are set to continue through Week 9. At the cornerback spot, news of DaRon Bland‘s return has been weighed down by the calf tear Trevon Diggs is now dealing with. The Cowboys rank 31st in scoring defense, so shoring up the unit in any capacity on the trade market would no doubt be welcomed.

On the other side of the ball, depth at the running back spot and/or along the offensive line could help give balance to the league’s No. 3 passing attack. Failing that, a move aimed at adding another wideout option to complement CeeDee Lamb could be in store; four receivers have already been dealt but several pass-catchers are still on the market or have been floated as potential targets. Improving in any regard could help a turnaround during the second half of the season, one in which a fourth straight 12-5 record will be nearly impossible to achieve.

Of course, how the Cowboys fare building up to the postseason (and in the playoffs, should they qualify) will be central in determining the fate of head coach Mike McCarthy. Dallas’ home wild-card loss to the Packers was cited by Jones as the reason an extension was not offered, leaving McCarthy in place as a lame duck. A rental trade acquisition will not tangibly alter the team’s core, but it could boost the chances of a playoff push and as such McCarthy’s job security.

The Cowboys remain near the top of the league in terms of cap space, so a deal affecting the remainder of the 2024 season would be feasible. Adding a player with term beyond this campaign could complicate the contract situations for the likes of Parsons, Lawrence and Zack Martin heading into the offseason, but a stop-gap move could be on the horizon depending on how talks with interested teams progress ahead of the November 5 deadline.

Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Battling Torn Calf

November 1st, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Trevon Diggs‘ run on his second Cowboys contract has not gone especially well. The former All-Pro cornerback entered this season after an extensive rehab effort, one stemming from an ACL tear suffered during an early-season practice last year. Diggs now looks likely to miss more time.

The fifth-year player has not practiced this week, and Jerry Jones said during his latest 105.3 The Fan appearance (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) that a calf tear is behind the absence.

While it appears Diggs will not play against the Falcons on Sunday, Jones’ news drop comes after the highly paid cover man played 99% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps in Week 8. Diggs returned from his ACL rehab during training camp, being activated off the active/PUP list. He has played in all seven Cowboys games this season. That said, Jones added (via Machota) he is not sure Diggs will miss the Atlanta contest. Though, three DNPs often signal an absence. Diggs’ Friday status has not been determined yet.

Jones’ refusal to rule out Diggs comes as DaRon Bland, whom the Cowboys activated off IR this week, is still experiencing pain in his surgically repaired foot. Bland suffered a foot fracture during camp, and while he had progressed to full practices, the 2023 All-Pro — who moved to the outside position after Diggs’ September 2023 injury — has not practiced this week. Bland is back on Dallas’ 53-man roster, as he would have been shuttled to season-ending IR had the Cowboys not made that activation this week.

The Cowboys gave Diggs a five-year, $97MM extension before training camp last summer. Diggs, 26, made it through two games before the knee injury ended his season. The former second-round pick, who had become the first player to reach the 11-INT mark in a season since the Cowboys’ Everson Walls did so in 1981, has cultivated a boom-or-bust reputation at corner. This season, Pro Football Focus has the Alabama alum slotted 95th at the position.

Boom-or-bust also accurately labels the Cowboys’ 2020s run at corner. Each of the team’s current top three (Diggs, Bland, Jourdan Lewis) has sustained a significant injury in the recent past, with Lewis going down with a Lisfranc injury deemed career-threatening. The Cowboys also missed on second-round pick Kelvin Joseph and did not re-sign Stephon Gilmore this offseason; the Dallas one-and-done CB landed in Minnesota.

The Cowboys, who sit 3-4 as their offensive and defensive units rank outside the top 20, also have not seen Micah Parsons return to practice. The All-Pro edge rusher has missed three games with a high ankle sprain. DeMarcus Lawrence remains on IR with his Lisfranc issue.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/30/24

October 30th, 2024 at 7:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

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