If the the Jets trade WR Garrett Wilson this spring, the Cowboys should pursue it

The Cowboys need to be monitoring the trade market this offseason.

It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys need to add some offensive firepower this offseason. The shortcomings of Dallas’ offense last season were a big reason why the Cowboys underperformed as a team. Outside of CeeDee Lamb, Dallas lacks any other real offensive weapons that strike fear in opposing defenses.

It was reported early last week that the Cowboys are focused on adding a wide receiver in the first two rounds of the draft to pair with their All-Pro.

While, in theory, this does make sense, there are some potential problems with relying on a first- or second-round receiver to be the missing piece in the offense. The 2023 NFL Draft is an excellent example of the risk involved with expecting a rookie wide receiver to come in and make an immediate impact.

In that draft, eight receivers were drafted in the first two rounds. Of those eight, only three recorded 800 or more receiving yards in their rookie year, the type of production the Cowboys would need out of their number two wideout. Two of those players drafted, new Cowboy Jonathan Mingo and Marvin Mims of the Denver Broncos, were busts in their rookie years and provided virtually no positive impact on their offense.

The Cowboys 100% need to find a talented receiver to pair with Lamb this spring; there’s no denying that. But there is a way to do so without taking the risk of relying on a rookie wideout to produce in a big way in year one: exploring the trade market.

In the spring of 2023, the Cowboys went out and made a deal to acquire veteran wideout Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans. That turned out to be an A+ move, as Cooks had a great season during his first year in Dallas. Cooks scored eight touchdowns during that campaign, and Dallas was a perfect 9-0 in the regular season when he recorded 35 or more receiving yards.

Cooks cost Dallas just a fifth- and sixth-round pick, so the deal ended up being a sure win for the Cowboys. With the current state of the Cowboys’ offense, they’d need to be willing to part with more premium draft capital to find a receiver capable of being the x-factor to turn their unit around. Thankfully, there’s a player who seems to be very available that would fit that role perfectly. That guy is Jets’ wide receiver, Garrett Wilson.

Wilson came into the league after being drafted with the 10th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and immediately produced in a big way. Wilson has put up some great numbers in his three years with the Jets despite dealing with mostly poor quarterback play.

Wilson has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards and recorded at least 83 receptions in all three of his seasons in the league, serving as the lone model of consistency in a very rocky Jets offense. The former Ohio State Buckeye has also been as consistent as it comes when relating to being on the field, never missing a regular season game in the 51 he’s played in during his career.

The star wideout is widely expected to request a trade this offseason, and the Cowboys would be very wise to get in the mix for acquiring Wilson’s services.

If the Cowboys were to seriously consider a deal for Wilson, the price to acquire the wideout wouldn’t be cheap. With Wilson’s services likely being in high demand, the possibility of a first-rounder for compensation is not out of the question. That price is too high for the Cowboys at pick #12.

But, if the Jets are willing to look at multiple picks plus a player, Dallas would likely have to start the negotiations by offering New York this year’s second-round pick, number 44 overall, plus multiple other 2025/26 draft picks. Add in a 2026 second-round pick plus a mid-round pick along the way, and/or a young player, potentially wide receiver Jalen Tolbert, and you might present the Jets with enough of an intriguing package to make the deal work for both sides.

While giving up potentially multiple top-50 picks for a receiver with just two years left of team control may seem like a risky move, let’s take a look at what the Cowboys have done with their second-round picks in recent memory.

Below are Dallas’ last six second-round picks.

• 2024 – Marshawn Kneeland
• 2023 – Luke Schoonmaker
• 2022 – Sam Williams
• 2021 – Kelvin Joseph
• 2020 – Trevon Diggs
• 2019 – Trysten Hill

Looking at the list above, no player has had close to as productive a career as Wilson has. While Trevon Diggs was an outstanding selection in 2020, the other five players have contributed virtually nothing to the Cowboys since being drafted, and two are not just off the Cowboys roster but completely out of the league altogether.

There are absolutely no guarantees with any draft picks, especially Cowboys’ second-round picks. If the Cowboys were to acquire the star wideout, they would take the unknown out of the equation and instantly have a star-caliber player who could completely change the dynamic of their offense.

Time is dwindling for the Cowboys to make another serious run at a Super Bowl. Dallas has four more years with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, both under contract. The Cowboys have to be bold to take advantage.

You want to make Brian Schottenheimer’s job easier as a first-time head coach? Give him CeeDee Lamb and Garrett Wilson together on the same offense. You want to get Dak Prescott playing back at an MVP level? Give him two All-Pro-caliber wideouts on the field at the same time.

The Dallas Cowboys can’t rely on the unknown. Their Super Bowl window is closing fast, and they need to acknowledge that with every move they make this offseason.

Garrett Wilson is the opposite of an unknown. The wideout is the missing piece the Cowboys so desperately need on offense, and they should do everything they can to acquire him this spring.