The Dallas Cowboys got a good one at the trade deadline with the acquisition of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets -- so good, in fact, that they might land another trade deadline target of theirs this offseason once free agency opens.
Former All-Pro LB Quincy Williams, Quinnen's brother, didn't get traded from the Jets, but that wasn't due to a lack of effort on the Cowboys' behalf, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano.
"I heard that at one point the Cowboys were talking to the Jets about a deal that would have sent Dallas both Williams brothers -- Quinnen and linebacker Quincy Williams. But that didn't work out, and the Cowboys pivoted to former Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson," Graziano wrote.
With the Jets looking for a franchise quarterback in future drafts, the idea will be to build around whoever that ends up being. That might've already naturally pushed Quincy out. His benching since his brother's trade may only seal the deal.
Cowboys Should Continue Being Aggressive Upgrading Defense, Add Quincy Williams
Rather than being traded, the other Williams was benched. Quincy was neither thrilled nor mad, according to him, and is working on earning his starting job back.
"My coaches told me I was underperforming, that I've been underperforming since training camp," Williams told ESPN's Rich Cimini.
Was this a coordinated effort to trade one brother and bench the other? ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Williams trade only came together after the Indianapolis Colts went all in on landing cornerback Sauce Gardner.
"My read is the Jets were not proactively seeking to trade these players in the days leading up to the draft, as multiple teams that discussed potential deals with the Jets have said. But the Colts leaned heavily on the concept of a Gardner trade, and once a deal for him materialized, it became easier to deal Williams, who had endured enough in his six-plus seasons in New York," Fowler wrote.
Dallas was aggressive in adding weapons for Matt Eberflus's struggling defense. Williams was one of several additions, his being the most consequential for the defensive front, along with the addition of Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jerry Jones will have two first-round draft picks to work with this offseason to continue to upgrade the roster after the Micah Parsons trade. Still, he'll lack second- and third-round picks from the George Pickens and Quinnen Williams trades, respectively.
Whether or not it was enough, it's clear that there is more work to be done by Jerry Jones and Co. during the offseason. And Quincy Williams should be at the top of the list to bolster the team's depth alongside Marist Liufau, DeMarvion Overshown, and Damone Clark.