The wait is finally over and the 2024 NFL Draft is upon us. The Dallas Cowboys are entering the draft with three picks in the first two days of the draft, the first one being the 24th overall pick on Thursday night.
What the Cowboys will do with their selections remains an open question. In addition to the uncertainty surrounding the draft picks, there is also the possibility of trades.
The Cowboys haven't shied away from pulling off draft-day trades, one of the most recent examples being in 2021 when they traded down in the first-round to select Micah Parsons with the no. 12 overall pick.
In addition to draft picks changing hands, a few Cowboys could also find themselves in new destinations. Dallas might choose to add more draft capital in exchange for a few of their own veterans. Let's take a look at who might be on the move on Thursday night.
1. Cooper Rush, QB
The 30-year-old signal-caller has been everything the Cowboys have hoped for in his second stint in Dallas. He has performed admirably whenever his name has been called, registering a 5-1 record in six starts in his Cowboys career.
The Cowboys surprisingly traded for Trey Lance last offseason, giving up a fourth-round pick. They presumably want to make him the backup quarterback going forward. This could make Rush superfluous on the QB depth chart.
There will be plenty of young quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy are locks to go in the top ten of the draft. Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are also candidates to be first-round picks. Teams who draft these quarterbacks will need an experienced, established veteran behind them. Cooper Rush could be that guy for them, netting the Cowboys an additional late-round pick in the draft.
2. Micah Parsons, LB
This one is certainly far less likely than Cooper Rush getting traded. The Cowboys would have to receive an offer they simply can't refuse to consider moving Parsons. Even then, it's not clear whether Jerry Jones would take the risk of facing the wrath of the fans after the already disappointing offseason.
However, there is simply too much smoke around the Micah Parsons situation to completely ignore it. If the rumors are true and there is tension between the star defender and the organization, it would make sense for the Cowboys to at least entertain what they can get in exchange for the 24-year-old sack machine.
Parsons would bring in a haul that is unparalleled for a defensive player. Two analogous trades would be the deal that sent Darrelle Revis from the Jets to the Buccaneers in 2013, and the deal that made Khalil Mack a Chicago Bear.
The Bucs had sent the 13th-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft to the Jets for the then-27-year-old Revis. The Bears, on the other hand, sent a 2019 and a 2020 first-rounder, as well as a third-rounder and a sixth-rounder to the Raiders, in exchange for Mack and a second-round pick.
The trade package for Parsons would likely beat those offers. Multiple first-round picks would be needed for Dallas to be open to trading their star defender. It's not likely but let's not rule it out.
3. Luke Schoonmaker, TE
This one is a more likely trade scenario than Micah Parsons. Even though there has been no indication at all from the Cowboys' side about their willingness to move on from Schoonmaker, a deal involving the 25-year-old tight end makes plenty of sense.
When Dallas drafted Schoonmaker in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it left plenty of Cowboys fans baffled. Tight end wasn't an immediate need for the Cowboys as the team already had Jake Ferguson coming off an impressive rookie season and Peyton Hendershot in the pipeline, a younger prospect than Schoonmaker.
A year later, the former Michigan standout is looking like a draft bust as he finished his rookie season with eight catches and 65 yards. With the emergence of Ferguson, who established himself as one of the best tight ends in the NFL, it's hard for Schoonmaker to shine in the Cowboys rotation.
Therefore, it may make sense for Dallas to move on from him and recoup some value in a trade. Considering his high draft selection only 12 months ago, Schoonmaker presumably still has some value that could net the Cowboys a mid-round pick. Such a move would allow Dallas to give Hendershot more of a chance and address a position of need with an additional draft pick.
FanDuel Sportsbook projects the Cowboys to address their offensive line first. They have the odds of Dallas drafting an offensive lineman with their first-round pick at -250, implying an over 70% likelihood. Head over there now if you want to get in on the action ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
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