Dallas Cowboys: 3 most tradeable players on the roster
By Reid Hanson
Tradeable Dallas Cowboys Player No. 1
Aldon Smith EDGE
Age: 31
Contract: 1 year/$2M
Aldon Smith is the feel good story of the year for the Dallas Cowboys. The potential comeback player of the year has been a beast for the Cowboys this season and one of the only bright spots on this sad little defense. Which is exactly why he’s a valuable trade piece.
Aside from DeMarcus Lawrence, Smith is Dallas’ most productive pass rusher. The 6-foot-5 275lb goliath has proven to be quite the formidable edge player in Dallas’ ever-changing front. He can play from 2-point or 3-point. He can play in a 3-4 or a 4-3. He can play anywhere you want him and is a fit for every defense in the NFL. That’s marketable.
What makes him so tradeable is his contract. Playing on just a 1-year deal, Smith only costs $2M this season, meaning every team can afford him. And since he’s only under contract for the next 10 regular season games, he may not factor into Dallas’ long-term plans – making him expendable.
Weighted Overall Win Rating for Edge and IDL through Week 5. The Steelers' defensive front is absolutely hilarious.
— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) October 14, 2020
(Also shouts to Aldon Smith. Misses five years, comes back like nothing happened. 57 snaps/gm and the sixth most productive edge rusher in the league. Good lord.) pic.twitter.com/Ln2kGxSGnl
Making this all easier is the fact Randy Gregory is about to be back on the Dallas Cowboys active roster. The oft-suspended defensive end is ideal for the right side opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. He’s the best pure edge player the Cowboys have and is locked up through next season.
Trading Aldon Smith would hurt, and you can never have too many pass rushers on your roster, but the loss is survivable given Randy Gregory’s return. And frankly, if we’re selling off pieces, we’ve given up on this season anyway.
Ezekiel Elliott said Randy Gregory was “lights out” in practice today. “It was really tough to block him. I’m excited to get Randy back. He’s got those fresh legs and he looks better than I’ve ever seen him.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 15, 2020
The long-term benefits of trading Smith now is extra playing time for Dorance Armstrong and Bradlee Anae. If both prove to be decent reserve options behind Gregory and Lawrence, Dallas can keep all their attention focused on DT and the secondary this coming offseason. Or heck, since Smith is going to be a free agent this winter, Dallas could trade trade him and then try to sign him again in the offseason.