National Football League

Will the Cowboys make another trade before the deadline — and should they?

Published Oct. 27, 2022 2:55 p.m. ET

The biggest benefit of the Dallas Cowboys' front office conservatism is that it makes them predictable. Most years, when the trade deadline rolls around, you can write off Dallas as a buyer or a seller because they'd typically prefer to roll with what's already on the roster. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones even said after Sunday's win against Detroit that he didn't expect to be a factor in the trade deadline. "I don't see that. I don't expect a trade," he told reporters. Imagine the collective surprise, then, when that turned out to be posturing.

The Cowboys didn't exactly break the Internet, but they got involved in some wheeling and dealing on Tuesday when they executed a minor deal for veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins. Playing in his 10th NFL season, Hankins might not be the same force he was early in his career, when he was an annual headache for the Cowboys as a member of the New York Giants. At 6-foot-3, 340 pounds, though, he's still plenty capable of helping improve a leaky Dallas run defense that currently ranks 20th in the league.

It's a bit of a surprise, but it doesn't come completely out of left field. Conservative as they might be, the Cowboys have occasionally sought to improve themselves before the trade deadline. Back in 2019, they made a similar move by sending a late-round pick to New England for veteran defensive lineman Michael Bennett. They also famously saved their 2018 season by trading a first-round pick for Amari Cooper. And that's where we can tie things back to this 2022 squad – wide receiver. I hate to be greedy, given that they've already swung one mid-season trade, but this is a team that could use some additional firepower.

The Cowboys' deficiencies at receiver have largely flown under the radar since Dak Prescott injured his thumb, largely because it was understood the offense would be operating a conservative gameplan with Cooper Rush under center. With Prescott back in the lineup, the expectations change and it's fair to note the Cowboys' depth is a little lacking. Sunday's win against Detroit highlighted the problem. CeeDee Lamb had an effective 70 yards on four catches, but Michael Gallup finished with no catches on two targets. Noah Brown caught five of seven targets for 50 yards, but one of those misses was a drop and he also fumbled in the red zone. The Cowboys have featured speedster KaVontae Turpin as a runner at times, but rarely as a receiver.

Youngsters like Simi Fehoko and Jalen Tolbert have accounted for next-to-no playing time. Fehoko was just moved to injured reserve two weeks ago, while Tolbert has played just four offensive snaps in the last four games. It's also worth pointing out that Dalton Schultz is laboring through an unfortunate situation we didn't see coming. Schultz injured his PCL back in Week 2. And while he's fighting through it, his usage has clearly been lessened. His five-catch, 49-yard game against Detroit was his first week with a reception in a month, including the night he was made a surprise inactive against Philadelphia. Hopefully Prescott's return will boost his presence in the offense, but it's clear the Cowboys' top tight end isn't at 100%.

If you asked them about it, Cowboys officials might be quick to point out that James Washington is still on injured reserve, working toward a return from the broken foot he suffered back in August. They might also give votes of confidence to the likes of Fehoko and Tolbert, not to mention rookie tight ends Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot. The counter argument is that it's fair to wonder if Washington, with 54 catches in his last two seasons combined, was remotely enough to offset the loss of Cooper in the first place. As for the youngsters, forgive me if it sounds scary to entrust a potential playoff season to first- and second-year players still learning the ropes of the NFL.

So where does that leave them? Odds are, the Cowboys aren't going to do something massive, ala Cooper. They do still employ a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Lamb and Gallup, so it might not make sense to gun for a D.J. Moore or a Brandin Cooks — highly paid players who would cost a lot in trade compensation, not to mention the size of their cap hits. That doesn't mean they couldn't make something work, though. Again, they just bolstered their run defense for the price of a Day 3 pick.

The same could be done on the offensive side of the ball. Across the league, there are intriguing situations worth monitoring. There seems to be chatter around New England's entire receiver corps, from Kendrick Bourne to Nelson Agholor to DeVante Parker. The New York Jets have publicly feuded with young receivers Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore this season, prompting speculation about both. Even Steelers star Chase Claypool has been subject to trade rumors, having seen his numbers dip in the all-important third season that usually precedes contract extensions.

Those are glaring examples, but there are many more situations worth exploring.

At this point, it feels unlikely something would come together before Sunday. Teams are deep into their preparation for Week 8, so a traded player would be unlikely to even contribute this weekend. It's also still early enough in the season that teams might be unwilling to unload assets. But perhaps the last game before the deadline has a way of swaying people's minds. A team currently sitting at 2-5 might be more willing to consider the big picture should they fall to 2-6. And if that happens, the Cowboys should be willing to take advantage. They've already shown that they can take steps to improve this roster. With the NFC looking as wide open as it ever has, that shouldn't be the end of it.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter @davidhelman_.