Rocky Garza Jr
With the NFL Draft over, and our focus now shifted toward the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, you would imagine that any trade-related content around the team wouldn’t be discussed. Yes, you did have the trade of WR Amari Cooper this offseason, but with the way their team currently stands, it’s unlikely anyone would be traded or even tied to any rumors.
Well, I was wrong.
And, before you freak out, there is no actual trade brewing around the team.
However, I wanted to discuss a Bleacher Report article written by Alex Ballentine, who gave his five way-too-early-bold predictions for this year’s NFL Trade Deadline.
In his article, Ballentine starts by explaining that he understands it’s too early to predict which teams will go for trades–but he based his trade predictions on team needs, contract building, and different stages of team building.
While the Cowboys trade prediction doesn’t come till the fourth slide, the other trade predictions he suggested were:
- Philadelphia Eagles making a move for Bengals Safety Jessie Bates III.
- Chicago Bears trading former Cowboy, now Bears Defensive End Robert Quinn to a contender.
- Los Angeles Chargers making a play for New York Giants Running Back Saquon Barkley to form a dynamic duo with RB Austin Ekeler.
- Baltimore Ravens adding Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett to give Ravens QB Lamar Jackson a WR1 again.
And with the Cowboys prediction, Ballentine was reuniting DC Dan Quinn and Atlanta Falcons LB Deion Jones to ease your curiosity.
In his explanation, Ballentine said that Jones had some of his best seasons under Quinn, and despite the franchise re-signing LB Leighton Vander Esch, and drafting LSU LBs Jabril Cox and Damone Clark in back-to-back years– Jones would be a huge upgrade over all three.
Ballentine added that the Falcons can trade Jones after June 1st and save $10.7 million for their cap, and because they’re a rebuilding team, it would make sense for them to save some money.
To begin, I’m 100% on board for the franchise to add a young talent like Jones and because of the familiarity with Quinn, I believe he could get back on track. Second, as much as I would love to push the button to trade for Jones, I’m not confident the front office goes after a trade.
While you’re likely looking only at a Day 2 or Day 3 Pick you would have to give up, the front office isn’t known for going for big trades. Yes, they did make the Amari Cooper trade a few years ago, but if you’re telling me the Cowboys were going after a trade– I would laugh at you.
We have been down this road many times when we saw them linked as possible trade suitors for Safeties Marcus Maye and Earl Thomas, Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel, and even in this year’s draft.
And what did they do? They didn’t trade.
To me, I could already hear Jerry and Stephen Jones saying how confident they are in the LB bunch they have, and how the money wouldn’t work for Jones. Nonetheless, it was an interesting trade idea that I enjoyed reading about.
So what do you think Cowboy fans? Would you pull the trigger on a trade for Deion Jones?
My 1st reaction: Bleacher Report is still around?
My 2nd reaction: …And people still read it?
My 3rd reaction: Barring significant or multiple injuries, there’s no way they trade draft picks for a $10-11M per year LB with a contract expiring after 2023. Not after spending 4 picks in the last two drafts at the position, and with the pain from the Jaylon Smith contract still fresh in their minds.
LB, especially ILB/MLB is quickly becoming like RB where you should just keep rotating in fresh middle rounders instead of paying huge contracts. They take too much of a pounding and get hurt too often to tie up big money in them. They learned that lesson from drafting LVE and paying Jaylon. Hopefully, they’ve learned that lesson from drafting and paying Zeke.
Quinn is not likely to be here beyond next season, let’s pump the brakes a bit on putting such a laser focus on getting “his” guys, especially giving up picks that would be better served, in the intermediate term, allocated for the next DC. The scheme might not change, but the “unlocking” success most likely will since the idea is this is due to personal connection.
I have always believed your linebackers were no better than your down linemen what in the hell could the Cowboys gain by trading for a perennial LB when their front 4 is a bigger suspect than Oswald if the butt kicking at the hands of Frisco didn’t teach them anything they are bound to repeat the same fall 130 + rushing yards the front 7 gave up trade for a bonafide run stopper