The off-season is shaping up to be an interesting one for the Dallas Cowboys. They have clear needs that need to be addressed pretty much across the board, but they also have some players with possible trade value they may be willing to part with. That is what I want to focus on today.
Of course, there is no way of knowing who will make the team in 2018, but there are some indicators that would suggest which players have the better chance to stick around. I used those indicators to scour over the Cowboys roster and determine which players might be on their way out and which ones possibly hold any trade value.
Below are five current Dallas Cowboys players who I believe could be put on the trade market at some point this off-season.
CB Orlando Scandrick
It’s probably not a surprise to many of you to find Orlando Scandrick’s name on this list, especially considering the Dallas Cowboys were rumored to gauge his trade value last off-season. But, here we are nearly a year later and Scandrick is still on the roster, but probably for not much longer.
The writing seems to be on the wall and that has everything to do with how well the Cowboys young and up-and-coming defensive backs played last year. The way they performed in 2017 likely makes Scandrick expendable.
Now, there’s no way of knowing if he has any trade value though. Teams may prefer to wait and see if the Cowboys release him. But, if a team wants to avoid a bidding war, they could probably toss a late round draft pick the Cowboys way to secure his services. I think that’s all it would take, and the Cowboys would be more than happy to accept.
WR Cole Beasley
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge Cole Beasley fan and would hate to see him leave Dallas anytime soon. With that being said though, I could see why the Dallas Cowboys would put him on the trade market.
It probably wasn’t the best time for Beasley to have a different production in 2017. He only has one year remaining on his four-year contract extension he signed back in 2015, which means he will become a free agent after the completion of the 2018 season. He is also set to count $4.25 million against the salary cap this season.
The Dallas Cowboys already seem to have his replacement on the roster in Ryan Switzer, so unfortunately Beasley’s future with the Cowboys is in doubt. There would probably be strong interest in him because he is one of the better slot receivers in the NFL. But, this all probably depends on if the Cowboys believe Switzer is ready for an expanded role.
WR Terrance Williams
Like Cole Beasley, the Dallas Cowboys seem to already have a younger/cheaper option on the roster (Noah Brown) ready to take over for Terrance Williams. Then there is the fact that he is coming off arguably his worst season in Dallas, where he failed to record a single touchdown catch.
All of this doesn’t bode well for Williams sticking to the Cowboys roster. He may have just signed team friendly four-year, $17 million contract extension last off-season to stay in Dallas, but the contract is affordable enough to entice the right team to work out a deal with the Cowboys.
Despite what some Cowboys fans think, Williams holds value to other teams around the NFL. This is a trade that would likely happen after the draft took place. Williams could become even more expendable if Dallas drafts another WR. He would then become a progress stopper.
TE James Hanna
James Hanna could become a salary-cap casualty this off-season. He is entering the last year of his contract and is set to count $3.5 million against the salary cap. But, the Cowboys would be wise to gauge his trade value before outright releasing him if that is indeed the plan.
The reason I think he could end up on the trade market is because the Cowboys may need to make room for Rico Gathers on the roster and Hanna, although valuable, seems the most logical choice. This is especially true when you consider his salary situation as well.
Hanna may never be a starting caliber tight end, but teams could still value his skill set and how many different ways he can contribute as a backup. We’ve seen many a time Jason Witten’s backups find success with other teams after departing Dallas, and Hanna could be the next.
S Byron Jones
Out of all of the Dallas Cowboys players on this list, I think Byron Jones probably has the most trade value. He is one of the most athletically gifted defensive backs in the entire NFL and has the versatility to play just about any position in the secondary.
It is my opinion, and you may disagree, that the Dallas Cowboys have failed to utilize him correctly and forced him to play positions he’s not comfortable with. He already received a demotion of sorts in 2017 when he was forced to split time with Kavon Frazier. But, at just 25 years old, he still probably has a lot of football ahead of himself.
He is entering his last year of his contract, and it’s unlikely the Cowboys exercise his fifth year option right now. They could decide to move him back to cornerback full-time, or they could be ready to move on completely and gauge his trade value on the open market. Regardless, it will be interesting to see what Jones’ fate is going forward.
