Dallas Cowboys want to trade back in the 2023 draft but can they?

The Dallas Cowboys love getting deals. It’s why they play free agency the way they do, why they negotiate trades the way they do, and why they delay contract talks the way they do. Sometimes it works out. Other times, not so much.

With the recent trades for Brandin Cooks and Stephen Gilmore in the win column, the Dallas Cowboys brain-trust is riding high. They scored two gamebreakers at positions of need for bargain prices. below market salaries combined with Day 3 trade compensation marks this as a clear win in their favor and will likely impact their attitude heading in to the draft.

It takes two to tango and the Dallas Cowboys will have to find a willing partner if they want to trade back.

There are three big reasons why the Dallas Cowboys will want to trade back

1. No clear target
2. The love of the deal
3. Desire for more picks

The Dallas Cowboys scouting is all over the board. Dallas is scouting players who seem to fall in the 10-20 range, the 20-30 range and the 30-40 range. Many of their targets (30 visits) are expected to go early in the second round making them a reach at 26 and a pipe dream at 58.

The Cowboys also don’t have a glaring need. Last season it was obvious they needed an offensive linemen with their top pick. The OT situation was untrustworthy and guard (Connor McGovern) was untested). Everyone knew they were going to pick an offensive linemen no matter what.

This season the need isn’t so obvious. Sure, they could use a OG but OG isn’t a position that requires a first round pick and Dallas has internal options to lean on if all else fails. They can really play the first round opportunistically

The second point is their love of the deal. Jerry and Stephen Jones love looking smart and are on a  self-confidence high after the pair of aforementioned trades. They want to keep the good times rolling and would love to trade back, collecting picks and a player they were willing to take at 26 anyway.

Bringing us to the third reason: more picks. As Dink Kearney broke down yesterday, the Dallas Cowboys love Day 3 picks. For good reason. They’re reeeeeeaaaaally good at them. The Cowboys have an impressive history of finding gold in the later rounds of the draft.

For a team that budgets their roster to be heavy on rookie contracts, getting more players on rookie contracts is kinda important.

If the Dallas Cowboys can trade out of the first round they could acquire another top-100 pick. Picks in the top-100 usually become role players at the least.

Note: Fifth year options may be one of the most overrated contract caveats there is these days. Fifth year options aren’t cheap like they used to be and teams are usually better served offering extensions. If all else fails they can use the franchise tag (which is comparable in value). Unless it’s a top-10 QB, fifth year options don’t offer much in savings or control. 

If they move back from their second or third pick they could add anther fourth rounder. The fourth round will be rich in RB and TE talent (almost guaranteed)

The way the draft board looks, some good WRs could fall to Dallas at 26. If that’s the case teams will be lining up to trade up. Dallas could find themselves in a very advantageous position.