NFL Trade Deadline Hope, Trade Assets, Dak Prescott

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, rumors will be rife around the league. For the Dallas Cowboys, however, all the rumors could be just that, and only that. But there’s always some hope that Dallas will make a move to bring in a big name or bring in an underperforming name in an effort to improve this team. Realistically, most Cowboys fans probably shouldn’t hold their breath on this one since we’re talking about Jerry Jones.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones gave fans a small glimmer of hope just days before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. While Jones’ words sound good, they are. Actions will speak much louder, especially since Dallas is generally quiet on this front.

‘We are doing business as usual. We have a lot of good players coming back in the next three or four weeks,” said Stephen Jones. “If the right deal comes along we will certainly look at it.”

While Jones expressed this in a measured way so as not to raise fans’ expectations too high, it is a different message than the usual “we’re happy with what we have” message that Jerry Jones usually communicates. It’s clear that this team doesn’t have all the pieces it needs to compete right now, but Jerry can’t admit it or doesn’t realize it.

Dallas has holes in the backfield, offensive line and wide receiver that need to be filled and that’s just on offense. They need help, but (Jerry) Jones is too stubborn to admit where he missed and fix the problem.

Right now, anyone outside of Dak Prescott could be on the trade block and the only reason the quarterback won’t be is because of that brand new contract. Other than that, no one should be safe, but there are a few names you might hear as we approach the deadline.

Zack Martin, Osa Odighizuwa and Trey Lance are names that could get some attention in the coming days. All for different reasons, but these are names that could get some attention.

For the former All-Pro, Martin’s prime is clearly behind him, even if he still has something left in the tank. The offensive line hasn’t been good this year and moving the 33-year-old Martin would free up some cap space and potentially net a decent draft pick or two. They would most likely be last-to-last round draft picks, but the Cowboys aren’t in a position to be super picky.

As for Odighizuwa, he has been one of the bright spots in defense this season and could attract good draft capital at the age of 26. No one wants to trade away promising players, but if you can replace them with one or two prospects of equal or greater talent, it could be worth it in the long run.

When it comes to Trey Lance, there isn’t much to say. Jerry traded a fourth-round pick to San Francisco for Lance last year and that’s where the story essentially begins and ends. Outside of some preseason photos, there aren’t many realistic scenarios in which Lance takes the field in the regular season as long as Dak remains healthy. Plus, Lance isn’t even QB2, he’s the third-string emergency quarterback. It’s time to admit this was a mistake, take what you can and move on.

Jerry Jones isn’t a fan of his QB running the ball often, especially after that leg injury that forced Prescott to miss most of the 2020 campaign. Some have called for Dak to start running the ball again, as he did earlier in his career. But even outside of injury, many QBs tend to run less as they get older in the league and gain more experience.

“You really don’t want to see him really take off with that ball,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan. “These quarterbacks that run, you know they’re going to get hurt. It happens. It happens to the youngest and it happens to the best. It happened to Dak.”

“Because we rely on him staying healthy, that’s an important part of it,” Jones said. “I wouldn’t say it’s there in red letters on the facility not to run, but I would say we want him to be smart about it. And he does that too. But he will, if he has the opportunity, pull it down and run with it – as we know.”

Jones makes valid points because running at the QB position opens you up to more hits and possible injury. But the fact that the Cowboys rely so heavily on Prescott is one of the reasons they have struggled this season. The other parts aren’t exactly keeping up their offense and that has become an unbearable weight on Prescott’s shoulders.