Dallas Cowboys: Cracking the Joneses trade deadline strategy

Allow me to speculate, Cowboys Nation. After seeing another NFL Trade deadline pass, with the Dallas Cowboys nothing but a whisper of unverified rumor, let’s take a stab at some of their strategy, shall we?

This is the year. We all feel it in our bones. We know it in our hearts. We can’t even argue against it in our brains. The Dallas Cowboys are destined for greatness this year and I can say, aside from that 2014 season (BTW: Dez caught it), this is the first time I’ve had this feeling since the early 90’s. So it only makes sense to go “all in” and add another defender at a position of concern, right?

What are the Joneses thinking at the NFL Trade Deadline, Dallas Cowboys fans?

Here, in what we assume is the 11th hour of Jerry Jones’ amazing life, one would think a little urgency existed in the Dallas Cowboys front office this season. As such, adding a extra piece to this Dallas Cowboys roster may seem like a good idea, even if it doesn’t seem completely necessary right now.

An extra veteran cornerback? A proven pass-rusher? A stable defensive tackle? A case can be made that any one of those would have a place in the Dallas Cowboys rotation. So why do the Cowboys always seem to be uninterested?

Commence speculation…

Draft Picks

The Dallas Cowboys love draft picks and frankly, they’re pretty good at making those draft picks. It makes sense that the price of a rental player isn’t worth giving up multiple years of cheap labor (see also: the rookie contract structure).

Trades are almost always from teams who have essentially given up on their chances and looking to rebuild. They don’t want to swap crusty old veterans – they want picks. And picks are the most cherished commodity there is ’round these parts.

“We like our own players”

Ok, this is obviously tongue and cheek but it’s also a little truthful and understandable too. “We like our players” something Stephen Jones and Jason Garrett basically had tattooed on their foreheads in years past, may actually apply today.

At CB the Cowboys just got Kelvin Joseph back into the swing. Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis are both playing extremely solid ball, and Diggs is a fixture. If you’re not brining in a clear starter, what are you really doing?  It makes no sense to bring in a CB5 so Dallas has to be convinced whoever is on the market is clearly better than four of these guys.

At Edge we just have Randy Gregory as a full-time difference maker at EDGE, so the need across from him is apparent. But with DeMarcus Lawrence expected back soon and Micah Parsons a certifiable force off the edge, this could be seen as someone stealing opportunities from players who are better.

At DT a solid case can be made Dallas needs a reliable presence. It’s been Osa Odighizuwa or bust most of the year and that’s a vulnerable spot to be in. But with Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill soon back, and Justin Hamilton and Carlos Watkins playing surprisingly decent, maybe the “guys we have” really are more attractive than the guys on the market.

Low balling

The Joneses are thrift shoppers. We all know it. Perhaps they really are making offers year after year and just not hitting pay-dirt. Just a couple years ago they sent a 6th/7th (conditional pick) to New England for Michael Bennett. Maybe they’re just looking for steals like that. We see them do it in free agency and in the draft. It fits their nature perfectly to do it here.

So maybe, just maybe, they were indeed heavily involved in trade talks. And maybe they just got out-bided.

So there are my possible theories. Am I missing anything here? Do you have an idea? Be sure to share below!