The Dallas Cowboys were surprisingly inactive at the 2023 NFL Trade Deadline, but that doesn't mean the players who were potentially about to get replaced can rest easy. They may not have immediate replacements, but at some point, the Cowboys could look to make some big changes to the roster or depth chart if the performance of certain players doesn't pick up quickly.
With a massive matchup on tap against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9, which players need to step up for the Dallas Cowboys immediately, or face the potential of being replaced or maybe even cut?
Let's take a look at a handful of names.
5 Cowboys on Thin Ice After Trade Deadline
1. Michael Gallup, WR
I'm not sure how realistic it was to think that the Cowboys could possibly trade a player like Michael Gallup at the deadline, but it was certainly out there that they could trade for another receiver. Up to this point in 2023, Gallup is second on the Cowboys in both snaps and targets at the receiver position.
He's caught just 20 passes for 224 yards and no touchdowns through seven games, and that's simply not the type of production the Cowboys can tolerate from the guy who is second on the team in targets. Don't be surprised to see Gallup's role diminish as the season progresses if his production doesn't pick up.
2. All running backs not named Tony Pollard
It was at least a little bit shocking to see that the Cowboys didn't have a better backup plan to Tony Pollard going into the 2023 season, and even though you could understand the financial motivation to get rid of Ezekiel Elliott, the long-term effects of not having two capable backs could hinder this team late in the season.
The Cowboys have given Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn a combined 53 carries through the first seven weeks of the season, and those two guys somehow avoided getting replaced at the trade deadline. If the Cowboys realize their need for running back depth in the near future, don't be surprised if those two guys are easily replaced.
3. Jake Ferguson, TE
Although the Cowboys obviously prefer to go with their home-grown talent as often as possible, the fact that they haven't just taken a shot on a better tight end for this season while Luke Schoonmaker develops is a little alarming.
Once again, we point to the Cowboys' overall struggles in the passing game, and area of this team that is holding back the offense from being dominant and even more dynamic, and you look at the third-leading receiver on this team: Jake Ferguson.
Ferguson was a fourth-round pick last year and is coming off of a solid game against the Rams, but he's also got three drops this season and the Cowboys could have made a play for someone like Kyle Pitts, Mike Gesicki, Hunter Henry, or someone else.
Ferguson survived the deadline, but if Luke Schoonmaker progresses on the practice field, don't be surprised if his snaps get cut into.
4. Jourdan Lewis, CB
It would not have been surprising, in the slightest, to see the Cowboys make a move at the cornerback position. In fact, some people thought the Cowboys might get crazy and trade multiple first-round picks for Pat Surtain II of the Denver Broncos. Or, at least, that they should have done that.
We didn't see the Cowboys make a single move at the cornerback position, and so the much-maligned Jourdan Lewis remains in place as the team's nickel cornerback. Da'Ron Bland has really emerged this year with four interceptions already, three of them going for touchdowns. Considering the Cowboys are playing without Trevon Diggs, the emergence of Bland has been anything but bland.
But Lewis has been a weak link on the defense, and the Cowboys didn't make any other additions at corner. But could they bench him if his poor play continues?
5. Jayron Kearse, S
Not that the Cowboys were going to trade Jayron Kearse, but now that the trade deadline has passed, you can't help but wonder if we could soon see some reshuffling of the rotation at the safety position. The Cowboys list three players as starting "safeties" in Dan Quinn's defense, where one safety is always lurking around the defensive formation and playing closer to the line of scrimmage.
Cowboys fans have grown a little bit tired of Kearse's inconsistent play despite the fact that he plays more snaps than almost everyone else on the Dallas defense. Could we see someone like Juanyeh Thomas play more snaps in the very near future? It's not likely, but if Kearse becomes a liability, you never know.
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