Through the first six weeks of the 2025 NFL season the Dallas Cowboys have proven they are very much at the opposite end of the spectrum as far as their offense and defense is concerned. Offensively they are one of the best, but defensively they been absolutely atrocious. The Cowboys defense currently ranks dead last […] Through the first six weeks of the 2025 NFL season the Dallas Cowboys have proven they are very much at the opposite end of the spectrum as far as their offense and defense is concerned. Offensively they are one of the best, but defensively they been absolutely atrocious. The Cowboys defense currently ranks dead last in the NFL in yards allowed at 412 per game and second to last in points allowed at 30.7 per game. This defense is without a doubt historically bad and have allowed opposing quarterbacks to have an absolute field day each and every week this year. Take last week for instance. QB Bryce Young is still trying to prove he’s a capable starter in the league and even he was able to throw for a three touchdowns to help upset the Cowboys and lead his team to victory. Entering a stretch of the season where they’ll be facing even better QBs, the future looks a little gloomy for Dallas’ defense. With the division rival Washington Commanders coming to town this week, their second-year QB looks to be the next in line to have a field day against Dallas’ defense. An argument could be made he’s potentially the best QB they faced so far this season. His dual-threat ability sets him apart and it could be a big problem for Dallas. It’s no secret the Cowboys have struggled containing dual threat QBs in the past and that this season is no different. Jayden Daniels to date has rushed for 176 yards on 36 attempts. He did miss a couple of games after getting injured on a scrambling attempt, but fully healthy now presents a definite problem for Dallas. Not only is Daniels a real threat on the ground with his legs, but he also possesses the ability to pile up a lot of receiving yards against the Cowboys best defense, who is currently ranked dead last in the league allowing 269.5 yards per game. That certainly doesn’t bode well for the Cowboys. Both the Cowboys and Commanders are coming off of disappointing Week 6 losses that were decided by last-second field goals and you can bet both of them want to put that behind them by performing well this week. But, the team that likely earns the “W” is probably the one who has the better QB play. With the way the Cowboys defense currently stands, their offense will have to be near perfect each and every week moving forward if they want any chance of winning. That means Dak Prescott and Company can’t afford to miss a beat every single game for the remainder of the season. This Week 7 matchup between the Cowboys and Commanders shapes up to be one of the high-scoring nature were both Dak Prescott and Jayden Daniels will play the most important part. Sadly, Daniels may have a slight advantage considering Dallas’ defense has yet to prove they can stop anyone this year. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

George Pickens “wouldn’t mind” staying with Cowboys long term – Charean Williams, PFT Pickens is flourishing in Dallas, but his future with the franchise is up in the air. Pickens, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, has seen the price of his next contract rise. He is expected to get […] George Pickens “wouldn’t mind” staying with Cowboys long term – Charean Williams, PFT Pickens is flourishing in Dallas, but his future with the franchise is up in the air. Pickens, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, has seen the price of his next contract rise. He is expected to get more than $30 million per season. The Cowboys may or may not be able to afford to keep him. The franchise tag is expected to be $23.958 million for 2026, and Pickens likely would not want to play on the tag. Pickens has found his home for this season, but his future is uncertain. “I wouldn’t mind [staying in Dallas],” Pickens said Wednesday, via Tommy Yarrish of the team website. “The guys in the locker room are super cool; the energy’s great. But like I said, I always want to showcase my talents.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones generally likes to kick the can down the road, so to speak, and isn’t likely to have any contract discussions until after the season. “We’ll weigh that,” Jones said Tuesday when asked about extending Pickens. “We knew full well that if things really went like we want them to go, that certainly we need to think about having some room available if we’re going to pay a second receiver at that level.” CeeDee Lamb among trio of Cowboys starters who could return to lineup vs. Commanders – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News This would be a huge boost with the injury woes the Cowboys have had lately. FRISCO — Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked Wednesday what he needs to see from recovering receiver CeeDee Lamb to know he’s okay to play: “Yeah, if he’s breathing, I’d feel pretty good,” Schottenheimer said. The Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver was one of 10 players listed as limited in Wednesday’s practice from The Star, leading to a possible return. Lamb missed the last three games with a sprained ankle, suffered in Week 3 at Chicago. Also, returner/receiver KaVontae Turpin was limited with a sprained foot. Turpin is on target to play Sunday against Washington after missing the previous two games. Rookie right guard Tyler Booker missed the last three games with a sprained ankle. Booker got some limited work in practice as well. Kenny Clark, Cowboys refocus on details: ‘We can’t go all year playing defense like this’ – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The defense in Dallas has to improve for the team to have any chance at a successful season. “Anytime somebody’s running the ball like that, it’s definitely frustrating,” [Kenny] Clark said. “We’re all competitors and want to put our best foot out there. So anytime something like that happens, it’s frustrating.” The veteran Clark, who was acquired from the Green Bay Packers in the Micah Parsons trade, said he’s been a part of some poor defensive showing against the run, but not a unit that’s been giving up yards like this. Last year was the first time that Clark played in a 4-3 front under new Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Matt Eberflus is deploying the same base look now in Dallas, who is working with their third defensive coordinator in as many years. Does that make it a difficult scheme to understand? “No, it’s a four-down front, attack front,” Clark said. “Everybody pretty much, in a four-three defense, everybody’s got one gap to fill.” That was part of the teaching point and message that Eberflus relayed to his team on Monday when they met to break down the Panthers game. “Just the details of the defense,” Clark said of what Eberflus’ message was to his unit. “We went through everything. Holding each other accountable and focusing on the details of what we need to do. Everybody’s just looking in the mirror and figuring that stuff out.” So, with most of the defensive personnel having been around since minicamp in the offseason to now six weeks into the regular season, why are some of the details still not down for the Cowboys? “Honestly, I’m not sure. That’s a good question. That’s the biggest question of them all,” Clark said. “It’s just us holding each other accountable and just getting to the bottom of that. We can’t go all year playing defense like this, especially with how our offense is playing. If we can match that, we’re going to be a really tough team to beat.” What Jerry Jones said: Supporting Matt Eberflus, playoff hopes still and trade talks – Jon Machota, The Athletic The boss in Big D covered several topics this week with the media. Sitting at 2-3-1 and the toughest part of their schedule still ahead, the Cowboys are unlikely to make the playoffs. It’s not surprising that Jones is choosing to be optimistic about those possibilities, even though only three NFC teams have a worse record. Watching the Washington Commanders, who Dallas will face Sunday, lose Monday night to the Bears, provided Jones with some hope. “It just reminded me that we are still in it,” he said. “It was eerily similar to how we got beat (at Carolina). … I see so much parity (in the NFL), and then you factor in that these teams get compromised with injury. We can and may (have those issues, too), but if we should have some good go of it here over the weeks ahead with our injury situation, returning (players), and we can get some wins … I’m encouraged. The last thing that I’m thinking about is in any way being out of the (playoff) hunt.” He’s also not closing the door on potentially improving the roster. The NFL trade

The Dallas Cowboys are set to host the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon. The game will mark their first one at home since their tie against Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers. There will be another familiar foe on the opposing sideline as the Commanders are led by Dan Quinn these days. This game […] The Dallas Cowboys are set to host the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon. The game will mark their first one at home since their tie against Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers. There will be another familiar foe on the opposing sideline as the Commanders are led by Dan Quinn these days. This game is the first one where Quinn will be the Commanders head coach against a Cowboys team with Dak Prescott under center. It certainly helps that George Pickens will be there, too. CeeDee Lamb may be as well. Below you will find our stream for the game where all relevant articles will cycle through in the lead-up to kickoff. Dallas is already 1-1 in the division and this is their first chance at taking on Washington this season. Given that they are 2-3-1 right now a loss would send things into a rather tough space with difficult games still looming on the schedule. Kickoff is at 4:25 pm ET on Sunday, October 19th.

NFL teams sometimes defy logic. How can an organization field an offense as robust and as immune to injury as the one the Dallas Cowboys currently have, only to field a helpless and inept defense. You would think an organization that can sign/draft players and coach them up so well on offense could find a […] NFL teams sometimes defy logic. How can an organization field an offense as robust and as immune to injury as the one the Dallas Cowboys currently have, only to field a helpless and inept defense. You would think an organization that can sign/draft players and coach them up so well on offense could find a way to do something similar on defense. Even just an average defense could be expected. But that’s not the Dallas Cowboys way. Instead we are subjected to extremes, and left to wonder what would be if we could just get all pistons firing together during the same season. Last week, the Cowboys fanbase was split down the middle about whether they were confident the organization was going in the right direction. That seemed about right at the time considering their record was a split down the middle at 2-2-1. We’re guessing the number who still have confidence is going to drop a bit after the 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Vote in the poll then hit the comments and let us know your thoughts. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Dallas Cowboys have been plagued by multiple injuries this season, and help may be right around the corner, right before a key game against the Washington Commanders. Here’s how the Cowboys are looking after Wednesday’s practice.  CeeDee Lamb (ankle) was back at practice on Wednesday and was seen participating in team activities, earning a […] The Dallas Cowboys have been plagued by multiple injuries this season, and help may be right around the corner, right before a key game against the Washington Commanders. Here’s how the Cowboys are looking after Wednesday’s practice. CeeDee Lamb (ankle) was back at practice on Wednesday and was seen participating in team activities, earning a limited designation. Guard Tyler Booker (ankle) was ramping up and was a limited participant. Return specialist KaVontae Turpin (foot) was back at practice also as a limited participant and is looking on track to return versus Washington. Plus, Marshawn Kneeland (ankle), you guessed it, was limited on Wednesday. Donovan Wilson (elbow/knee) and Jack Sanborn (concussion) were both… limited. For the Commanders, receiver Terry McLaurin was limited at practice with a quad injury. McLaurin has missed the team’s last three games and is iffy to play Sunday. Washington also announced that former Dallas Cowboy Noah Brown has been placed on injured reserve. Defensive end Dorance Armstrong (hamstring) was listed as a DNP today. Finally, Deebo Samuel (heel) was also listed as a DNP. See More: Dallas Cowboys Injuries

Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Booker (OG) First Round Currently out with high ankle sprain. Grade: 65.0 Donovan Ezeiraku (DE) Second Round Washington’s offense is a […] Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Booker (OG) First Round Currently out with high ankle sprain. Grade: 65.0 Donovan Ezeiraku (DE) Second Round Washington’s offense is a moving target because Jayden Daniels turns dropbacks into field trips. He’s been sacked 14 times, which is middle of the pack and the Commanders just coughed up three turnovers on Monday night after juggling injuries up front. That’s the kind of environment where a high-motor edge like Ezeiruaku can really shine. The issue holding Ezeiruaku from having free reign here is Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders running back gives them a real downhill threat and he’s at 344 yards on 60 carries this year, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Add Daniels’ 176 rushing yards and that’s a recipe that keep’s Ezeiruaku having to hold his rush lines and set the edge. If the Cowboys can bottle first down and then produce on second and third down, Ezeiruaku’s high-effort style comes into play. On a defense searching for rhythm, he’s one of the few who consistently tilts reps in the right direction.Grade: 72.0 Shavon Revel Jr. (CB) Third Round Currently on Non-Football injury list (NFI) Jaydon Blue (RB) Fifth Round Blue’s tape has been light so far since taking over from Miles Sanders, and that lack of usage slows a rookie trying to find rhythm. You can see the traits, but the touches have been scattered enough that a couple of two-yard runs and a checkdown tackle short of the sticks end up defining his tape so far. His issues have been with processing and play strength. On outside zone he’ll occasionally bounce before he’s fully pressed the landmark, shrinking the crease he’s trying to hit. Inside, the feet can get a little busy so defenders arrive square and put his rush attempt into a panic play. He needs to keep stacking clean pass-pro reps so the coaching staff trusts him in the pressure downs. Once he settles in, the hope is the traits will finally meet the touches and the production will look a lot more like the speed.Grade: 56.4 Shemar James (LB) Fifth Round James looks like a linebacker built in a hurry. The areas of development are exactly what you’d expect from a rookie playing fast. He’ll overrun some inside running plays and open the cutback lane, take one step too early on play-action and leave a window behind him, or take poor angles. In coverage, the assignment is mostly fine, but the timing can drift when quarterbacks extend the play.Grade: 52.6 Ajani Cornelius (OT) Sixth Round Inactive Grade: N/A Jay Toia (DT) Seventh Round So the bad news. Toia had trouble winning the first inch of the rep, which is everything against a run-heavy script. His pad level wasn’t consistent, his hands landed late or outside, and double-teams walked him back at times way too easily for a guy his size. On inside zone runs he chased laterally way too far, opening the lanes that Dowdle happily bent into. Add a couple slow retraces on play-action and a screen where he didn’t feel the release fast enough, and he had a day he wished he could have back. The good news is when Toia fired low and tight, he posted in textbook fashion and kept his hips under him. You could see his feel for two-gapping with the peek, press, shed, and square to finish. He’s also more nimble in short spaces than he looks going off a few plays.Grade: 28.6 Phil Mafah (RB) Seventh Round Inactive Grade: N/A Alijah Clark (CB) UDFA Clark has been called up twice in consecutive weeks to help play gunner on special teams. Both weeks he’s made splash plays, getting downfield like a shot and finding the returner early to end the play. With this solid technique and speed it’s very possible we see Clark get the call for the third consecutive week followed by sole decisions on what to do with him on the 53-man roster.Grade: 80.0 (ST only) Washington Commanders Josh Conerly Jr. (OT) First Round Conerly looks like what you hope a first-round tackle looks like one month in. He’s talented, teachable, and trending. The mistakes are the fixable kind, the strengths are the sticky kind, and the arrow is pointing up. Give him time and reps, and the Commanders may have a fixture on the line. The rough parts to his game are textbook for a college left-tackle flipping to the right. He leads the team in both pressures and sacks, but there’s context to that. When Conerly gets a shade wide, inside counters or speed-to-power comes into play and his recovery can lag. Toss in the occasional grabby rescue when his hands drift outside, and you can see he still has to learn some things. As for his run blocking, that’s also a work in progress. He’s the lowest-graded run blocker among the starting offensive linemen, he is in fact, the lowest-graded run blocker among both Washington’s and Dallas’ offensive linemen.Grade: 60.4 Trey Amos (CB) Second Round Dropped into the league with press-corner length and SEC experience, Amos has settled into the rotation the way you want a rookie to with steady special-teams work, spot duty outside, and a handful of snaps in the nickel when the matchup fits. The first thing that pops on film is the frame with rangy arms, patient feet, and how calmly he gets from line up to in phase with his long strides. When offenses try to

The Cowboys are very quickly being faced with a major conundrum: Matt Eberflus. It’s rare that a team fires a head coach – let alone an assistant – during their first year on the job. Yet, it’s becoming harder and harder to justify keeping Eberflus around. The Dallas defense has been utterly miserable all year, […] The Cowboys are very quickly being faced with a major conundrum: Matt Eberflus. It’s rare that a team fires a head coach – let alone an assistant – during their first year on the job. Yet, it’s becoming harder and harder to justify keeping Eberflus around. The Dallas defense has been utterly miserable all year, and their one moment offering hope – a Week 5 win over the winless Jets – quickly withered away in a demoralizing loss to the Panthers. Brian Schottenheimer has made it clear he’s not even thinking about moving on from Eberflus. On Monday, he had this to say: “I’ve been Matt. I’ve been a coordinator. And I’ve been where people are calling you out and saying you don’t know how to coach and, ‘Man, this guy is the worst coach in history…’” “Matt Eberflus is a damn good football coach. We have to perform better. But I’ve been him, so part of me being in [defensive meetings] is to help as an asset, to tell him I believe in him. I understand what he’s going through. It sucks. It’s no fun. We’re gonna ride this thing out. And we’ll play better. We really will.” That’s an admirable response from Schottenheimer, who is surely thinking the same thing Eberflus must be thinking: I didn’t build this roster, or decide to trade away the best player a week before the season. In fact, Eberflus accepted this job fully under the impression that an extension with Micah Parsons would happen, only to quickly find out that would not be the case. It’s easy to find excuses for Eberflus, and it’s understandable why Schottenheimer is hesitant to fire his defensive coordinator just six games into the season. He’s also right about Eberflus being a good coach; his track record, which we profiled back when the hire was made, speaks for itself. That said, Eberflus has fielded a miserable defense week in and week out this year. This most recent game in Carolina was possibly the worst, even if the statistics don’t say so. Take, for example, the fourth down conversion that sealed the win for the Panthers: It’s fourth down and the Panthers need three yards to move the chains. Eberflus lines up three defensive linemen to one side and has Kenneth Murray mugging the A gap. On the boundary side, Trevon Diggs is right at the line of scrimmage, while DaRon Bland is giving a 12-yard cushion to Hunter Renfrow, lined up three yards beyond the line to gain. When the ball is snapped, Murray drops into a shallow zone before drifting towards Renfrow, who runs a quick slant. Bland, meanwhile, backpedals for a second before triggering down on Renfrow as he breaks inside. Neither player is quick enough to stop what was an easy throw. Here’s the problem: Eberflus was essentially daring the Panthers to run this exact play. The pre-snap alignment suggests exactly that, and the only other explanation for leaving Bland so far off the line is sheer incompetence. More likely is that Eberflus was trying to bait Bryce Young into throwing the slant to Renfrow. That idea is great in theory, but it relies on two things. First, Murray needs to move in Renfrow’s direction right at the snap to intercept – or at least break up – any pass. Second, Bland needs to trigger downhill immediately and meet Renfrow right at the line to gain, which is made nearly impossible by his deep alignment and backpedal at the snap. So in the biggest moment of the game, Eberflus calls a play that attempts to bait the offense into throwing at two defenders that have struggled mightily thus far this season. That’s what takes this play from being great in theory to being terrible in reality. The Panthers took the bait, too, and they had zero regrets afterward. Therein lies the problem, though: Eberflus is a good coach with a proven track record, but the roster he’s coaching in Dallas is not good enough for the defense he wants to run. Diggs and Bland excel in a press-heavy defense, while the pass rush unit has usually thrived with a heavy barrage of stunts and simulated pressures. None of those are features of the Eberflus defense, and his being in this role is the football equivalent of fitting a square peg into a round hole. So what’s the solution? The Cowboys don’t have the personnel to run this scheme effectively, but not because their personnel lacks talent. They just have the wrong coach for the personnel. That leaves Schottenheimer with two options: force Eberflus to change up his scheme or fire him. The second option presents an even harder question to answer: who replaces him? Pass game coordinator Andre Curtis makes the most logical sense, and he worked alongside Schottenheimer in Seattle, but he also spent the last three years with Eberflus in Chicago. So, too, did linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi. Neither of those coaches seem likely to come in and drastically change the scheme, while defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton is considerably less experienced than the other two. Of course, there’s also Nick Sorensen. The special teams coordinator was on Pete Carroll’s Seahawks staff for nine seasons, overlapping with Schottenheimer for three years. He primarily assisted with defensive backs, and was later the pass game coordinator for the 49ers before serving as their defensive coordinator last year. Granted, San Francisco fired Sorensen after one year in that role, and moving Sorensen to defensive coordinator would just create a hole at special teams coordinator. The inability to sufficiently answer the question of a replacement is perhaps the biggest

The Dallas Cowboys are 2-3-1 at the moment with games looming against the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. Speaking to the first one (Washington) in front of them, oddsmakers believe they will lose as the Commanders are favored even with the game set to take place at AT&T Stadium. Imagine a world where the Cowboys […] The Dallas Cowboys are 2-3-1 at the moment with games looming against the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. Speaking to the first one (Washington) in front of them, oddsmakers believe they will lose as the Commanders are favored even with the game set to take place at AT&T Stadium. Imagine a world where the Cowboys drop these next two. They would fall to 2-5-1 on the season and any hope of a playoff berth would be only alive in a literal and mathematical sense (odds are fairly low right now as it is). It would stand to reason at that hypothetical point to be focused on next year more than this one. This is generally not how the Cowboys have operated, but that has never stopped us from having conversations out loud among ourselves. At that hypothetical point, or even now if you’d like, should the Cowboys entertain the idea of trading away any players? Let me be very clear and say that I would not trade away George Pickens if I ran this team. But with Pickens serving as one of the better players on the Cowboys right now and with him in a contract year… the Cowboys’ current status coupled with how they handle players needing big paydays makes for interesting out-loud conversations at the very least. Again. I would not do it. We are just trying to find solutions together. What do you think? Should the Cowboys entertain trading anyone away? If not now, when? See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Jerry Jones believes Cowboys have ‘ammo’ to make potential trade – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com If the Cowboys win their next two games, their chances of making a trade will increase significantly. From trading a first-round pick to the Raiders for Amari Cooper in 2018 to acquiring Jonathan Mingo for a fourth-round pick last year, Dallas has […] Jerry Jones believes Cowboys have ‘ammo’ to make potential trade – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com If the Cowboys win their next two games, their chances of making a trade will increase significantly. From trading a first-round pick to the Raiders for Amari Cooper in 2018 to acquiring Jonathan Mingo for a fourth-round pick last year, Dallas has made six trades in-season in the weeks leading up to the deadline over the last seven years. Could 2025 bring the seventh in eight years? “We have thought all along that if we see a way to improve this year with a trade at the deadline, then we’ll take advantage of it,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said following a press conference about the upcoming 101st East-West Shrine Bowl. “That’s what we positioned for to start this year, was to have ammunition to do things if we have an opportunity.” That’s not anything new from Jones, who has said several times during the last few weeks that the Cowboys are open for business if the right deal comes across the table. That said, nothing is in the works at present. “I don’t have a trade in mind right now, at all,” Jones said. “That comes about right now if someone is on the phone calling.” If the Cowboys were to make a transaction before the deadline, it’s highly likely that they would look to acquire a player that could help their defense, which currently ranks last in the NFL in yards allowed per game. Jones added that if the Cowboys were to look in that direction, it would be a move that looks not just at the 2025 season, but beyond too. “If there is a trade that would help the defense, we’re in position to make that trade…” Jones reiterated. “[It] doesn’t mean we’re going to make one, but we certainly had in mind when we started this season that we were going to have ammo to be more flexible in terms of what we do with the roster as we move along this year, and of course as we get into the next couple of years.” The team is hopeful of getting Jalen Cropper back on the practice squad. After filling in on special teams, third-year wide receiver Jalen Cropper has been released. The move comes with the expected returns of superstar receiver CeeDee Lamb and electric playmaker KaVontae Turpin right around the corner. According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the Cowboys are hopeful that Cropper will pass through the wire waiver and return to the team as a member of the practice squad. Cropper appeared in three games this season and returned three punts for 27 yards and two kickoffs for 38 yards. Cropper’s release comes hours after owner and general manager Jerry Jones revealed that he is hopeful All-Pro receiver Lamb will be able to return for Dallas’ Week 7 showdown with the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Lamb has been out of action since suffering a high-ankle sprain just seven snaps into the team’s Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears. Turpin, meanwhile, has been slowed this season due to a foot sprain, which has kept him out of the Cowboys’ past two games. Who Jerry Jones, Cowboys could target via trade as owner says ‘we are still in it’ – Ayrton Ostly, USA Today Dallas needs all the help it can get on the defensive side of the ball. The Cowboys may be expecting two players back on what’s been a struggling defense so far in 2025. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown could be back after the team’s bye Nov. 9 after a serious knee injury last year. Rookie cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. may make his debut in the next month or so as he finishes rehabilitation on a torn ACL suffered in college. But what if Jones and company don’t wait for those two players to make their debut? Dallas is armed with extra draft picks thanks to the Micah Parsons trade – an extra first-round pick in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts – and more cap space. Jones revealed the team is weighing their options ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline. “We will weigh what are the likelihood of the players we’ve got coming back, how will they impact where that will put this team as opposed to should we add a player in a trade?” Jones said. “And I don’t have a trade in mind at all. And that comes about right now if someone is on the phone calling.” Dallas could be active at the trade deadline. Here are six targets they should consider: Hunter’s been one of the best and most productive pass rushers in the league for a decade. He’ll turn 31 years old later this month but he’s shown no signs of slowing down with age. The Texas native has four sacks through five games this year and ranks eighth league-wide in sack percentage, per NFL Next Gen Stats. His pass-rush get-off time is 0.84 seconds which is also top-10 league-wide. Dallas’ defense needs help against both the run and pass. Hunter’s the type of edge rusher who can assist in both areas. He’s on pace for career-highs in tackles for loss as well as sacks this season. What may make this worth it for Houston is the long-term outlook for the franchise. They have contract extensions looming for franchise cornerstones Will Anderson Jr. and C.J. Stroud amid a 2-3 start to the 2025 season. Their playoff chances aren’t looking good and it’d be worth getting value for Hunter, who is only on the books through next season (with three void years tacked