The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles made one of the biggest trades of the 2026 NFL Draft, which isn’t something you always see from two divisional rivals. The Cowboys originally held the 20th-overall pick in the draft but traded the selection to the Eagles for their first-round pick (23rd overall) and two additional fourth-round picks. The Eagles used this selection to obtain USC’s Makai Lemon, while the Cowboys ended up with edge defender Malachi Lawrence, cornerback Devin Moore, and defensive tackle LT Overton.
You never want to make a division rival better, and one reporter asked Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the trade. While Jones acknowledged this sort of trade isn’t always ideal, he had an interesting way of explaining that he’s doing everything he can to build a competitive roster for the Dallas Cowboys.
“If I eliminated [trading with] all the teams that I wanted to beat their ass, you wouldn’t have anyone left to trade with,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
Jerry Jones Hilariously Explains Cowboys, Eagles Trade
Ultimately, Jerry Jones is correct. While nobody wants to make a rival better, this trade is the definition of a ‘win-win’. The Cowboys were never going to draft Makai Lemon with the 20th-overall pick, as they already have two great receivers in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. What they don’t have, however, is impact players on defense. Dallas picked up two additional picks with their trade with the Eagles and still landed Malachi Lawrence, a player they could have very well picked had they stayed at their original draft slot. Devin Moore and LT Overton probably won’t start, but the two fourth-round picks will provide some depth for a defense that desperately needs it.
The Eagles, meanwhile, may have found their next great receiving weapon. While A.J. Brown is technically still on the roster, it’s an open secret that the team will trade him to the New England Patriots after June 1st. DeVonta Smith is a great receiver, but Philadelphia doesn’t have a high-ceiling option behind him. Lemon should compete to start from Day 1 and has the potential to be a 1,000-yard receiver. A player like him is well worth surrendering two fourth-round picks, especially for a team that needs help at receiver.
