On November 5, the trade deadline for the NFL closed. Several teams made excellent acquisitions, trying to strengthen their positions before it was too late. With a 3-5 record, the expectation was that a Dallas Cowboys trade could bring in extra draft picks to a concerning team. Instead, they acquired one second-year wide receiver and . . . no one else. Here’s what the Cowboys probably have planned.
Dallas Cowboys Trade – Deadline Passes With Very Little Buzz
Emphasizing Being Buyers and Not Sellers
A team that starts selling their pieces is usually a team that has given up on the season. They see that it’s a wrap. They know that there’s little hope this year, they might have fired a head coach or coordinator, and they’re trying to see what needs to be shaped for the next season. In other words, a team that’s selling is a team that gave up their season.
Jerry Jones wanted to make sure that it was clear the Cowboys had not given up. In an interview with a local radio station on November 5, Jones had this to say when asked about the deadline: “We’re not selling. We will make that case. We’re buying and not selling . . . we’re going to have to have it from within to get where we all want to go.”
The radio host originally asked if it would make more sense for the Cowboys to be sellers with their current record and the abysmal injuries they’re suffering. It’s a great point. With how things are looking, it would be more realistic for the Cowboys to sell, clean up shop, and get rid of guys to gain a few more picks. But Jerry Jones believes that his team is still a contender, at least until the slew of division games coming up.
No Dallas Cowboys Trade Makes Sense
What’s getting missed is that the Cowboys don’t have one specific problem that a trade would solve. In fact, there are multiple issues with this team. Dak Prescott couldn’t find his targets, leading to low-scoring drives, few touchdowns, and terrible red zone conversions. The offensive line is not what it was last season. Most of those guys are still trying to find their footing and synchronize with one another. A rough offensive line has also led to an ineffective run game that is only just starting to get started.
The defense isn’t helping. Of course, there are an overwhelming amount of injuries defensively. However, those injuries didn’t stop bad play overall at the beginning of the season when Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence were healthy. They played in the at-home upsets by the Saints and the Ravens. Although Mike Zimmer’s system seemed promising in the pre-season, it just hasn’t come together against regular-season opponents.
So there isn’t one player that could be added to this team for an easy fix. Nothing about this has been easy or simple. No Dallas Cowboys trade could solve all of these problems. Instead, they aren’t worried about throwing out the talent they have to build for next season. Jones and Cowboys management believe that they have the talent this season. However, that talent just hasn’t shined quite yet.
The Solo Dallas Cowboys Trade Made
The only player the Cowboys went out to get was a wide receiver, someone the team had their eyes on since his original draft–Jonathan Mingo. But again, Mingo isn’t a bandaid to the current problems with the team. He’s more of a reserve, someone to shape for a future, better team. The message sent by Jerry Jones is abundantly clear. Fix it with what you’ve got. And still with a lack of contract renewals for the upcoming seasons, that’s sounding more like a threat than anything else.
Main Image: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
