Cowboys pre-draft notebook: Jerry Jones has ‘two pretty substantive trades’ in the works, plus draft strategy

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys could make some waves via trade with the 2025 NFL Draft kicking off this week in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday. 

“We’re looking at two things that could happen before or after the draft. Two pretty substantive trades. Been working on today,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday at the team’s pre-draft press conference.

Earlier this month, Dallas COO and EVP Stephen Jones indicated that he doesn’t see the Cowboys moving up in the draft, so that means Jerry Jones was either talking about trading back for more picks or deals for veteran players who are line for their second NFL contract. If Jones was talking about the latter, here are a few names that could fit the criteria of needing a second NFL contract who could potentiall be moved. 

Steelers WR George Pickens

George Pickens tossed some fuel on the fire that he could potentially be traded after the Steelers traded for and extended Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf after posting a picture of himself standing with Las Vegas Raiders part owner Tom Brady this offseason. Pickens would be the type of field stretcher Dallas could use opposite CeeDee Lamb with 12 catches of 30 or more yards in 2024, the second-most in a season since 2006 when that stat first was tracked. Dallas also wouldn’t have to rely on Pickens as its WR1 with Lamb on board, plus quarterback Dak Prescott is a steady leader in the locker room. Pickens to Dallas could make some sense. 

Lions WR Jameson Williams

Williams could very well be on the move with Detroit strapped for cap room in 2026 after handing out top dollar deals to quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, right tackle Penei Sewell and others. Williams’ 17.3 yards per reception in 2024 ranked as the second-best in the NFL behind only Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce’s 22.3. He could also come at a potential discount when factoring in some of his legal issues he’s faced in just three seasons in the league. 

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III

Yes, the 2025 NFL Draft is deep at the running back position, but if Dallas isn’t enamored with who they are able to acquire in the draft, perhaps they send a fourth- or fifth-round pick Seattle’s way for Kenneth Walker III. Even though he only played in 11 games this past season, his 77 tackles avoided were the seventh-most in the NFL and one more than 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley’s 76. There’s a gaping hole at the running back position, and if he can be had for the right price, perhaps Dallas would be interested. 

Cowboys eyeing ‘speed’ at pick No. 12

The Cowboys would love to land a strong WR2 to complement Lamb with the 12th overall pick. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer emphasized that speed offensively is a big key on the outside. If Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan or Texas’ Matthew Golden are on the board when Dallas is on the clock, it would not be surprise if either of them were the pick. 

“It’s always something you want to look at at the end of the day,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday. “At the end of the day, this is an exciting time of the year, and speed in this league is important. It’s not only way to do it. The one thing about speed it gives you something you don’t have to coach. So the way we’re going to play and the style we’re going to play is speed an advantage.”

Selecting best player available or drafting for need

In each of the last two drafts, the Cowboys have chosen a player based on a positional need more so than who might have been the highest-graded player on the board. 

Defensive tackle Mazi Smith (26th overall in 2023) and offensive tackle Tyler Guyton (29th overall in 2024) were picked almost exclusively because of a need. Smith has underperformed in his two seasons, and Guyton had a rocky rookie year in 2024. The Cowboys made him to flip positions from right tackle, what he played predominantly in college at the University of Oklahoma, to left tackle because of Tyron Smith’s departure in free agency. Guyton’s transition to the left side was quite the adjustment: he committed 14 penalties in 2024, tied for the second-most in the league behind only then-Houston Texans, now-Washington Commanders offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil’s 17.

A reason for that is because Dallas had been incredibly inactive in free agency in the lead up to those two drafts. Despite none of the Cowboys’ moves being relatively high in terms of any one player investment, they did add enough quantity this offseason to where they truly might not reach in the opening round of the 2025 NFL Draft. 

“Yeah, I think at the end of the day you are trying to pick the best player on the board,” Stephen Jones said. “Now if it’s up there and you got guys who are equally graded for the most part then obviously you might lean into a position where, hey, we could use a little more help there and we’re pretty strong over there. So, let’s lean in over here and take that player. But what you don’t want to see yourself doing is picking a player who’s quite a bit down the line, a round down. Trying to take that player over a guy that you’ve got situated, and they let you choose the 12th pick, we got first-round grades on players on our board, you want to take that player. At the end of the day, those things work themselves out. We never went into Micah’s draft thinking we were going to pick Micah at pass rusher/linebacker. The year we picked CeeDee, we were thinking we were going pass rusher all the way, and we end up with a receiver. Great things happen when you do things like that.”

Would Dallas consider Shedeur Sanders or Jaxon Dart at 12?

In short, nope. 

“We’ve got a major commitment with Dak, so you weigh that,” Jerry Jones said.