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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

Cowboys To Activate DaRon Bland From IR

October 30th, 2024 at 11:41am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland is expected to be activated from injured reserve on Wednesday, according to WFAA’s Ed Werder. The activation is a go, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets.

Dallas opened Bland’s 21-day practice window on October 9, so he will need to be activated or revert to season-ending injured reserve. He required surgery to repair a foot fracture suffered in training camp, sidelining him for the Cowboys’ first seven regular-season games.

Bland was a full participant in his first two practices during Week 6, but has not practiced since after experiencing discomfort in his foot. Dallas won’t want to lose him for the rest of the season, but he may require more time to get fully healthy and back into game shape.

Rookie Caelen Carson has struggled in Bland’s place, allowing completions on two-thirds of his targets, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). A return from the 2023 first-team All-Pro alongside Trevon Diggs would help the Cowboys withstand a myriad of injuries to their pass rush. Sam Williams landed on season-ending injured reserve during training camp, and both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence have been sidelined since Week 4 with injuries of their own.

The Cowboys have missed Bland’s production after he recorded a league-high nine interceptions in 2023, including five pick-sixes. Dallas has just four interceptions this year with a 6.6% turnover rate that ranks eighth-worst among NFL defenses after forcing a turnover on 14.6% of opponent drives last season, the fourth-highest rate in the league.

Dallas currently has 54 players listed on its active roster, so they will need to clear two spots to open space for Bland’s activation.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/24

October 28th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Cowboys defensive lineman Sam Williams has already been ruled out for the 2024 season thanks to a torn ACL, and now he’s been slapped with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy (via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). The unpaid suspension went to effect prior to Week 8, and the player will be eligible for reinstatement prior to Week 11. The punishment stems from Williams’ reckless driving charge from 2023.

The Colts lost a key special teamer for the season in Trevor Denbow, as Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reports that the player suffered “injuries to multiple ligaments and cartilage” during yesterday’s game. Denbow has appeared in 65 percent of his team’s ST snaps over the past two seasons, and he’s been limited to only six defensive snaps over that time.

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