Stephen Jones provides key insight before NFL Draft next week

Don’t you just love when Stephen or Jerry Jones talk to the media? To their credit, it hasn’t been as much this offseason, but when they do talk, it seems like the same recording being played over and over again.

On Tuesday, media members with the Cowboys or those that work very closely with them heard for Stephen for the first time in a little while, and he provided updates not only about the NFL draft that takes place next Thursday through Saturday, but as well as George Pickens.

What he said about Pickens will surprise nobody, but I will keep that short and sweet. He did note a few key things when it comes to the draft next week though, so if you did not catch any reports or videos on social media of him, check out what he said below.

Key Updates

Let me start by giving the quick update he dropped about Pickens, and I am sure all of you can guess what it was.

First, nothing new about his contract with the Cowboys, but it was that NO teams have reached out to Dallas about trading him. That is because a team would have to give up TWO first round picks.

“You hate to get into things like that, but no, we’ve had no one call with interest in George Pickens,” Jones said (via The Dallas Morning News).

The #Cowboys have not received trade calls for WR George Pickens, per Stephen Jones on @1053thefan

This will not jump start contract talks, likely
Only emboldens the Cowboys to roll with tag

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) April 14, 2026

So that is that, nobody is trading two first round picks for GP, no matter how good he was last year.

Now, let’s get into the more important things that could be taking place next week at the NFL draft.

A lot of talk has been had about if a team does trade up in the draft it could be the Dallas Cowboys.

Jones noted that trade talks generally begin the week of the draft, but he’s a “big believer most of these trades happen when you are on the board.”If that’s the case, Dallas will actively be monitoring any potential slides in the top 10 and could be looking to move out of the No. 20 pick.

He also said something that is probably the most true, and that is that the team may not get to 22 prospects with first-round grades, a trade up seems like the most likely scenario.

If players such as Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, or Rueben Bain start to slip a little bit further down than where they thought they would go, I would try and dish that 20th overall pick and move up.

This team needs a day-one starter on the defense, and I would prefer it to be in the secondary somehow or at linebacker. I can live without a pass rusher that early, because they did it last year without one, and Clowney was the leading sack guy at 9.5.

I would make sure you get the secondary taken care of because they ranked last in nearly every single category in that area a year ago.

#DallasCowboys EVP Stephen Jones on @OThankKevin and @inthemageors on whether we could see a lot of first-round trades:

“Next week, people finalize their boards and have their strategy sessions. I’m a big believer that most of these trades happen as you’re on the board…" pic.twitter.com/4wuq5r7COc

— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) April 14, 2026

Nobody really knows what this team is going to do or who they are talking with as of now heading into next Thursday, but I would have to think they have the ammo to trade up if they need be, and I fully expect them to land a guy that will help them on day one, but I just hope it is not a pass rusher.

I would much rather get a guy that can help you take the ball away beyond the line of scrimmage, but we will see what they truly have planned when next week gets here.

This all could just be smoke and mirrors like the front office always does to us fans.