At the start of the season, the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive issues seemed to be stalling drives. A trade could help. The only threats the team seems to have at the skill positions are CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson.
One bright spot early on is Hunter Leupke, who seems to be gaining steam as an offensive threat in the running and passing game. This player alone will not help the offense get to where they need to be, but any help is welcomed.
What trade targets could benefit the team as the Dallas Cowboys move into week five of the regular season and beyond?
A Panthers Fire Sale
The Carolina Panthers benched their first-round quarterback, Bryce Young, which could mean they are targeting a high pick in the next draft. Eliminating talent would be the best way to get a high pick.
The Panthers don’t have too many offensive weapons, but one player getting buzz as a possible trade chip is Diontae Johnson.
ESPN’s senior NFL national reporter Dan Graziano named 15 players who could be traded before the deadline, including Johnson. Dan Graziano said:
“Johnson was traded from Pittsburgh to Carolina this offseason, he’s 28 years old, averaged 873 yards per season with the Steelers and is making a mere $7 million this year, in the final year of his contract.
“If you pick him up halfway through the season, you’re paying $3.5 million for a receiver with a solid track record. If Johnson’s production benefits from the switch to Dalton at quarterback in Carolina, he could be the steal of the deadline.”
Many fans will remember Diontae Johnson from his five years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had his best seasons as a Steeler, but his production dropped off in his last few years.
His best seasons as a Pittsburgh Steelers player were his second and third years in the NFL. During those seasons, he had good quarterback play, which showed his ability as a receiver.
In the 2022 season, Ben Roethlisberger had a terrible year, and Diontae Johnson suffered from poor play.
2023 was his last year in Pittsburgh. He had Kenny Pickett as a quarterback, and Diontae Johnson averaged over 14 yards a reception. However, his targets were lower than in his rookie year.
As a Carolina Panther, he has had terrible quarterback play, but it is picking up with Andy Dalton as the new starter.
This may not be enough for the Panthers, and they may try to get something for him on the trade market while he still has some value.
The Dallas Cowboys could look at him as a solid number-two receiver to replace Brandin Cooks, who would be a great third option at this point in his career.
Diontae Johnson with the Dallas Cowboys would create fantastic opportunities for the offense. It would open up a dimension the passing game has not had since Amari Cooper was a Dallas Cowboy.
Many teams in the league could benefit from adding a wide receiver who has previously gained 1,100 yards in a season.
Among all the teams, the Dallas Cowboys could particularly benefit from strengthening their wide receiver position.
Disgruntled Las Vegas Raider
The Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams has not been happy with Las Vegas since the trade of his best friend and college roommate Derek Carr. Could Davante want to go to a team with a better chance of winning?
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce informed reporters on Friday that Davante Adams (hamstring) and Maxx Crosby (ankle) would be absent from the game against the Browns.
Added to the injury report on Thursday, the 31-year-old Adams wouldn’t fake or exaggerate an injury to miss a game. This could be the team not taking any chances on an actual injury to Davante Adams. If this is true, a blockbuster trade could be in the works.
Would Jerry Jones pull the trigger on a trade of this magnitude?
The trade would be for an established receiver, much like the Amari Cooper trade, who is at his best in nearly any situation on the field.
Having a legitimate quarterback and another superstar receiver on the opposite side would create a situation Davante Adams has never had on a team.
He appeared unhappy in Las Vegas after the beat-down the Raiders were receiving going into halftime of the Carolina Panthers game. This video shows apparent frustration.
pic.twitter.com/ksBScrowun#Raiders Davante Adams was not HAPPY Yesterday #RaiderNation
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) September 23, 2024
What would the Cowboys be getting in Davante Adams? Well, they would be getting an All-Pro caliber receiver.
Over his 10 years in the league, he has 10,990 receiving yards, a 12.3-yard average, and 96 touchdowns. Those numbers would create mismatches for any defense in the league opposite CeeDee Lamb.
Having those two out wide and Brandin Cooks in the slot would make this one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.
Support the Team, Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones, the favorite person of every Dallas Cowboys fan (insert heavy sarcasm), is a significant part of the current team’s problem.
Jerry and the front office need to help this team by making a trade to boost the team’s chances of getting good wins. The New York Giants game was not a good win, but a needed one.
If the team is going to compete with the rest of the NFC East and make the playoffs, changes must be made.
These changes can be made through the trade market.
Several teams are struggling and a few know they will not win much. The latter are the teams Jerry needs to be on the phone with trying to make a deal.
The front office has a relationship with the ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders and could pull off a blockbuster with a trade for Davante Adams. It may take a third-round pick and a couple of late-round picks, but it’s possible.
The Carolina Panthers are looking for a future quarterback, and getting something for Diontae Johnson would only help them create a fantastic trade package to move up in the draft.
Every Dallas Cowboys writer has used “Jerry is all-in” numerous times, but it’s time for Jerry Jones to put his money and draft picks where his mouth is. If he is serious about winning, he must find help for this team.
Barely beating the lowly New York Giants and Cleveland Browns are not banner wins, especially not after getting stomped by the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens. So, to accomplish a winning season and a deep playoff run, the Cowboys need a lot of help.
If the team can get offensive weapons to help them start putting up 30 points a game again, it will also help the defense.
One or two trades could get this team to the next level, but it all depends on whether Jerry wants to win or make more money.
They need to trade for a RB also
Johnson isn’t a good fit, as NFL history says that WR2s traded in-season tend to have a weak impact (likely due to not knowing the plays, lacking rapport with the QB, etc). It’s just not worth it.
Similarly, it doesn’t make sense to pitch for “all in” now as a justification for anything. That ship has sailed – the best time for investment is earlier in the offseason, and once the team committed to holding pat for 2024 (presumably, to increase flexibility for 2025 and beyond) the commitment was made. Nothing beyond massive overpays would change that now, meaning that making a move for the sake of “pushing” would only serve as a split approach. Split approaches aren’t the way to go.
The right cheap cost guy who wouldn’t be expected to make a huge impact but could fill a hole or widen the lineup is the sort of move that would make sense. Johnson was a solid suggestion in that regard; the problem there was the history of trades for his types. A RB or DLman, however, could help things without amounting to a direction-breaking major investment.
Unfortunately after the Baltimore and New Orleans losses, and the LACKLUSTER Giants game it’s very obvious that the Cowboys have some very real problems; and it’s not with the players. Yes, their defense is not as good as last year, and yes, they have no running game, which is why their receivers are getting double and triple teamed; but the biggest problem is the owner/general manager. J.Jones has ripped the soul out of an organization that for decades was the class and envy of the NFL. Beyond the FACT that he has NO IDEA what he is doing and has destroyed this storied franchise with his horrible decisions and massive ego the Cowboys will NEVER win a Super Bowl while he is the owner!!
Years ago after purchasing the team, with money he got from the Bush family, he demonstrated his lack of class and knowledge of the game by firing legendary Hall of Fame Coach Tom Landry, one of the true brilliant innovators and most respected coaches in the game. Yes, he hired Jimmy Johnson as coach and general manager; who traded Hershall Walker for the triplets (Aikman, Smith & Irving) as well as other instrumental players (Maryland, Norton, Walls, etc) in their multiple Super Bowl victories. But that was not good enough for Jones, his ego is so large that instead of being elated by Johnson’s success and the Championship rings that he brought to the Cowboys he became bitter and jealous, fired Johnson and brought in nice guy Barry Switzer who won another Super Bowl with Johnson’s line up. All of which done without any interference (THANKFULLY) from Jones.
Then he installed himself as GM and proceeded to destroy the team that Johnson had built with terrible draft picks and horrible trades, (like the one with Detroit where he traded for a mediocre receiver in Roy Williams and gave up draft choices only to have Williams be released a couple of years later after a completely lack luster employment with the Cowboys). Thus is the history of jerry jones, he has destroyed the once great Dallas Cowboys and they now seem to be cursed and will never win a championship with him as the owner, his incompetence is astounding and becoming legendary; so when he says that he is “all in” we all (Cowboys fans) laugh at his delusions of grandeur.
If he was employed by any other franchise (that he did not own) he would have been fired decades ago for his incompetence. As a cowboys fan since I saw Don Meredith throw a “Bomb” to Bullet Bob Hayes (another Tom Landry brilliant innovation) I am horrified by how jones has destroyed this great franchise but even more so by how he is unable to see his own inability to judge talent, build a winning team thru the draft or free agent signings, or impart any iota of class into this historic franchise.
Jerry Jones may have the most financially valuable franchise in sports but for all of us true Cowboy lovers it’s a floundering team without a soul and I feel so badly for the players who put forth such effort every week with negative support from the owner.
So VERY SAD!!
if you have five guys and none can get yards it isn’t the running backs. If you have 5 receivers and only one gets the ball it isn’t the receivers. Dak has little time to find others except ceedee. before you go getting all these guys fix yourselves internally hire a new oline coach
the time to get guys is past. you could have had a stud pass rusher you could have had bobby wagner, you could have had derick henry, none of that is available now. in discount stores you get what you pay for