The Dallas Cowboys are traditionally one of the more active and aggressive teams year in and year out during NFL Draft weekend, and they have the opportunity to make some intriguing moves yet again this week that could set the franchise up nicely both in the here in now and the future.
Stephen Jones has not been shy about making mention of the fact that the Cowboys could be open for business with the No. 12 overall pick if there are any teams slotted behind them that are looking to move up in order to target a specific player or position. Well, one such opportunity may be on the table for Dallas, and it could bring major dividends for the franchise.
While there has not been a whirlwind of news concerning teams being interested in moving up in the first round as of Monday of draft week, one team that has made calls throughout the league about doing just that is the Denver Broncos, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Broncos currently own the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and enter draft week needing to address the talent on their roster at the running back and tight end positions. While the No. 12 pick might not be high enough of a jump for Denver to make in order to land the top-rated rusher in this draft class, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, moving from No. 20 to No. 12 could very well put them in a position to land the top-rated tight end prospect, Penn State's Tyler Warren.
If Denver and Dallas were to swing a deal that would see the Broncos move up eight picks from their current slot in the first round, the Cowboys would conceivably add multiple future selections with great value in addition to the pick the Broncos currently own at No. 20.
Given the fact that wide receiver, running back, and cornerback are among the primary needs for Dallas entering this draft, sliding back from No. 12 to No. 20 will still allow them the opportunity to address all of these positions of need, if ESPN's latest mock draft from Jordan Reid is an indicator of what is to come.
When you take into account the additional picks that the Cowboys could receive in a potential deal with Denver, it is very possible that Dallas could come out of Thursday night's first round with an impact player at a position of need as well as added draft capital that they can use to upgrade the roster with young talent or to include in additional trades.
Even though it is always more exciting for fans to see their favorite team swing a trade to move up in the draft, the deals to move down slightly, like the Cowboys would do in a trade with the Broncos in this instance, could pay off larger in the long run.
We'll certainly hear more rumors concerning the Broncos' desire to move up from No. 20, as well as other fresh reports regarding other franchises, between now and whenever the Dallas Cowboys' first selection on Thursday night comes.