If the Cowboys trade up in the draft, it shouldn’t be on Day 1

The NFL draft is one of the biggest events in professional sports and it garners huge ratings on television over three days. The Dallas Cowboys are the biggest brand in professional football and when team owner Jerry Jones speaks, people tend to pay attention.

When putting the draft and the Cowboys in the same sentence, everyone takes notice. So when Jones suggests Dallas would make a trade in the draft, it piques the interest of Cowboys fans, and all football fans, everywhere.

There’s good reason for listening to Jones on the idea that his Cowboys might be looking to trade in the draft. He’s known as Trader Jerry as he is not shy on pulling a trigger to move around premium picks in the draft. In the past 20 drafts, the Cowboys have made 16 trades involving draft picks in the first three rounds. That doesn’t count in-season trades where he traded away a first round pick, but only draft day trades.

Some of those deals have worked out; landing defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and linebacker Micah Parsons, but not all have been solid moves. The trade up to select cornerback Morris Claiborne, desired results never materialized.

Which made Jones’ comments last week about the Cowboys moving up in the draft all the more interesting.

It’s always known that Jones is down to make a deal, what isn’t as clear from his comments is where the team would take a gamble and trade up. Jones mentioned in any of the first three rounds, but it’s hard to believe the Cowboys will be trading up from the 24th overall pick. The team needs more picks, not less.

The Cowboys, partly due to their inactivity in free agency, have too many holes to be giving away draft picks. With glaring needs along the offensive line, defensive line, wide receiver and linebacker, the team cannot be surrendering high round selections, even if it means getting a player they desire.

Dallas specifically needs at least two quality offensive line players, a defensive end, a run stuffing defensive tackle, a starting caliber WR, a LB, and an upgrade at safety. The team’s goal should be to walk away from this draft with at least three starters to mitigate what they’ve lost in free agency and trading up would rob them of taking their chances at filling those voids.

The Cowboys do have some ammunition to make a trade and move up, armed with nine draft picks. However, the team only has one pick apiece in the first four rounds; it’s in the fifth round, where Dallas has four selections, that can help any trade up scenarios. Those picks likely aren’t enough to make a big trade up in the early rounds without giving up a higher round pick as well.

With all the hand wringing over what the Cowboys might do, it’s important to remember this is peak draft season. Disinformation can be the key to getting the player you want, or enticing another team to make a trade and waste their draft capital.

However, the Cowboys are not usually that savvy. They’re a team that isn’t shy about letting their intentions known when it comes to the draft.

It’s also vital to take note of who’s talking, and the prudent thing to do is take what Jones said with a grain of salt. Jones likes to talk and stoke the fires of Cowboys fans, so it’s difficult to put too much stock into what Jones says.

The NFL draft is rapidly approaching and it’s hard to believe much of what fans hear at this juncture of the process. But, if what Jones says is true, and the Cowboys do trade up in the first round, it feels like a foolish move (even if we don’t know who the player is).

Here’s to the unofficial welcome to the 2022 NFL draft, courtesy of Jerry Jones.

You can chat with or follow Ben on twitter @BenGrimaldi