Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones teased a trade Monday night, and on Tuesday morning, they acquired linebacker Logan Wilson from the Cincinnati Bengals, which didn’t exactly move the needle.
About two hours before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, however, Dallas made a big splash by acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets.
Dallas traded a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick (the better of the Cowboys’ pair of picks after acquiring one in the Micah Parsons trade) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to New York to complete the trade for Williams, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Williams, 27, was drafted No. 3 by the Jets in 2019 and is under contract through 2027.
The Cowboys are 3-5-1 after losing 27-17 to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, putting their playoff hopes in dire straits, well behind the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles (6-2).
Cowboys reporter Todd Archer, Jets reporter Rich Cimini and NFL draft analyst Matt Miller break down the trade from myriad angles, including what it means for the Cowboys’ future and why the Jets let Williams go.
Did Dallas essentially trade Micah Parsons for Williams, considering what they gave up and got in return?
Archer: Are you forgetting Kenny Clark? The Cowboys aren’t. They have spoken highly of him since landing him in the Parsons trade with the Packers. They might have to do something with his contract in 2026, but he is viewed as a part of the solution.
Parsons is one of the few who can wreck a game on his own. A defensive tackle, even one as good as Williams, doesn’t do that the same way. Shedding Smith is a plus since he added little.
They still have three first-round picks in the next two years, which is a bonus. The Cowboys are still in position to improve a roster that needs improvement.
What does the trade mean for the DT rotation with Williams, Clark and Osa Odighizuwa?
Archer: If you’re paying this kind if money to three defensive tackles to be part of a rotation, then this is a flawed decision. It could mean a change in how the Cowboys use the three tackles at the same time. In Monday’s loss to the Cardinals, they used a five-man front to help plug some of their holes better.
Odighizuwa has more position flexibility than the other two, but this is not to suggest the Cowboys would switch to a 3-4 scheme from the 4-3 they have used for years. It just opens up possibilities for them to alter their fronts.
Why did the Jets trade Williams?
Cimini: It was a multi-layered decision. Let’s start with the compensation: The Jets felt it was a no-brainer, especially since the 2027 first-round pick is the higher of Dallas’ two first-round picks that year.
The Jets have high regard for Williams, whom they gave a four-year, $96 million extension in 2023, but he hasn’t been as dynamic as he was in 2022 (career-high 12 sacks). Williams, frustrated by seven years of losing, wasn’t happy with the direction of the franchise, sources said. He also didn’t like the way he was being used in Steve Wilks’ defense, sources said.
His contract, which runs through 2027, might have become an issue in the offseason, as Williams likely would’ve pushed for a renegotiation.
What do all of these trades mean for the Jets’ defense?
Cimini: In 2023, the Jets had one of the best defenses in the NFL. Not anymore, not even close. Williams and Sauce Gardner, traded Tuesday to the Colts, were their two most accomplished defenders. These trades punctuate a two-year talent drain that saw them lose, cut or trade some of their top players.
The defense already was struggling this season (27th in points allowed); now there are some significant holes. Young players such as cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, linebacker Kiko Mauigioa, cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers and Smith (acquired in the Williams trade) will be pressed into key roles.
Bottom line: it’s a major rebuild.
Does this deal solve the Cowboys’ biggest defensive issues?
Archer: No, because the entire defense has issues. As far as I know, Williams cannot cover wide receivers or tight ends. But he helps. He has pass-rush ability, evidenced by his 12-sack season in 2022. He is considered one of the best defensive tackles in football. Stopping the run is vital to a defense, and the Cowboys’ run D has been poor, allowing 119 yards or more in their past six games.
But points come through the passing game and they have allowed 30 pass plays of 20 yards or more. Their third-down defense is worst in the league at the moment. Until they can get a consistent pass rush paired with better coverage — man or zone — in the back end, quarterbacks might still have a field day on this defense.
How does the trade affect the Cowboys’ salary cap?
Archer: Don’t get caught up in the actual numbers because teams can move around money whenever and however they want.
Perhaps the Cowboys will have to make a decision on Clark by March, since he is due an $11 million roster bonus on the third day of the league year. Paying three defensive tackles at least $20 million seems a bit much.
The Cowboys can always restructure the contracts of QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb, G Tyler Smith, TE Jake Ferguson and/or CB DaRon Bland to create room, although it might be best not to touch Prescott’s deal even with a $74 million cap charge in 2026. They can move on from some players to create room (Trevon Diggs, Terence Steele) as well.
At the moment, they have plenty of space to be active in free agency, but that changes to a degree if they place the franchise tag on receiver George Pickens.
Dallas still has two 2026 first-round picks, who are some early targets to keep in mind?
Miller: The 2026 draft class lines up very well with Dallas’ needs at positions like running back, linebacker and potentially a No. 2 wide receiver if Pickens isn’t re-signed or tagged. At running back, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love is the lone first-round prospect, and it’s likely he’ll be a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. Love’s open-field speed results in big play after big play — like his 94-yard touchdown run last weekend. He would be the answer to Dallas’ run-game struggles.
Defensively, could Dallas replace Parsons with another linebacker/edge rusher hybrid from the Big 10? Ohio State’s Arvell Reese is a difference-maker with that same skill set but more pop and power to his game as a college prospect. He’ll likely be a top-10 pick, as well.
Looking at receivers, my top pass catcher in the class is Jordyn Tyson from Arizona State, a deep threat who would replicate a lot of what Pickens has brought to the Dallas offense. He’s seen as a likely top-15 pick in the first round.
