After months of anticipation, the 2025 NFL draft is finally here.
The Dallas Cowboys have a busy next few days ahead of them, boasting 10 draft selections that all begin with the 12th overall pick on Thursday night. It's an exciting time to be a fan of America's Team, especially as the roster takes shape throughout Brian Schottenheimer's first offseason as Cowboys head coach.
As exciting as a new crop of rookies can be, the NFL draft is usually a time when a handful of trades are paid off. Whether a team is looking to move up in the draft or kick an underperforming player to the curb, it wouldn't be surprising if there's plenty of movement in the next few days, and the Cowboys aren't an exception.
One player who's been involved in Cowboys-related trade rumors is Micah Parsons. The superstar disruptor's future in Dallas is up in the air as he seeks a monster-sized contract extension, leaving time to tell if the two sides can agree to terms to keep him in town.
Having said that, Parsons isn't the likeliest candidate to be on the draft-day trade block.
Cowboys WR Jalen Brooks Could Be on Trade Block on Draft Day 1
The Cowboys will be looking to bolster their wide receiver room from the draft after losing veteran pass-catcher Brandin Cooks to free agency this offseason. Room must be made to create space for incoming rookie contributors, though, meaning it wouldn't be a shock if Dallas is open to kicking WR Jalen Brooks to the curb.
Brooks, 24, has been with the Cowboys since he was drafted 244th overall at the 2023 NFL draft. Jerry Jones & Co. were willing to roll the dice on the Harrisburg, NC native after he posted career highs in receptions (33) and receiving yards (504) in his final campaign with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Fast forward to the current offseason, and Books has yet to make a noticeable impact in Dallas. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound playmaker has only caught 18-of-36 targets (50%) through the first 21 games of his NFL career, converting those chances into only 241 receiving yards and a touchdown. It's also worth noting that he's only finished with multiple receptions twice during that stretch.
If that wasn't bad enough, Brooks took a big step back analytically in Year 2 compared to his rookie campaign. He went from recording 62.3 receiving and 65.1 offense grades on Pro Football Focus in 2023 to marks of 58.6 and 59.2, respectively, last season. That trajectory simply doesn't bode well for his outlook.
With CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, and the recently signed Parris Campbell unlikely to go anywhere this offseason (along with the Cowboys potentially giving Jonathan Mingo another chance) Brooks' uninspiring performance leaves him as the odd man out. Dallas can save just over $1 million in cap space if it moves on from the ex-Gamecock before the end of the draft, per Spotrac.
At the end of the day, the Cowboys are better off sending Brooks packing if they don't view him as a long-term fixture in the offense. Chances are that a rookie WR can fill his role while also having higher upside, meaning it'd be a shock if he's still on the roster come training camp.