SportsPreview
The biggest question facing every WNBA team in training camp
WNBA training camps open with key questions for each team.
ESPN News1 min read
Sports
Cowboys news: Dallas could still hit the veteran trade market
TL;DR
The Dallas Cowboys are considering trading for veteran players like Jonathan Greenard and Jordyn Brooks to enhance their roster instead of relying solely on the draft. Both players could fill critical gaps, with Greenard providing edge rushing and Brooks strengthening the linebacker position.
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 14: Jonathan Greenard #58 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on from the field during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kenny Moore among 3 veterans Cowboys could trade for instead of drafting â Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire
Dallas doesnât have to rely on the draft solely to improve the roster.
Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard
If the Cowboys swung a deal for Greenard, the veteran would step in and immediately be the teamâs best pass rusher. He was injured last season and played only 12 games, but he had back-to-back 12+ sacks seasons in 2023-2024 while playing for two different teams, so he can quickly adapt and be successful. Greenard also totaled 43 tackles for a loss in the last three seasons combined.
The Minnesota Vikings had been shopping him earlier in the offseason and if the Cowboys would offer up their third-round pick (92nd overall), it might get a deal done. Greenard does have two years and over $38 million left on his current contract but wants a new deal. Any trade would likely require the Cowboys to negotiate a new deal with Greenard, something that could hold up a trade.
The Cowboys do have a need for a top edge rusher and Greenard would help fix that hole. If the team strikes out on Day 1 of the draft in finding a prospect to harass quarterbacks, Greendard should be an option in a trade moving forward.
LB Jordyn Brooks
The 2025 First-Team All-Pro would be a massive upgrade for a team that desperately needs LB help. Christian Parkerâs defense needs a leader in the middle of the field and Brooks would be just that. Brooks is coming off a season where he led the NFL tackles, he has five straight years with at least 111 tackles and has back-to-back career highs in tackles for a loss in the last two seasons. Currently, Brooks is in the last year of a manageable contract and would likely need a new deal as a part of any trade, but he would the best LB Dallasâ defense has had in years.
Again, the Cowboysâ third-round pick would likely be the starting point for a trade, which should be an easy deal. With the lack of skill and depth the team has at LB right now, Brooks would be well worth the investment to steady a group who needs a legitimate answer for the middle of the defense.
Is the RB2 for the Dallas Cowboys currently on the roster? â Shane Taylor, Inside the Star
Does Dallas have a guy who can ease some of load off Javonte Williams?
This is something to keep an eye on as we enter the draft in less than two weeks. The current Dallas Cowboys running back room consists of Javonte Williams, Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. It was a great move to get Williams locked up when the front office did, because it would have been the third year in a row another running back would have started for Dallas. When you look at it, Rico Dowdle, Williams, and Tony Pollard all rushed for over 1K as the lead back, and the main issue right now is not having a proven backup and someone I feel very good about is currently on the roster.
RB2?
So when you look at the depth chart, as of now, Davis is going to be the guy that probably gets the look first. Davis played in 10 games last year, had 52 attempts, and rushed or 250 yards and scored twice. That is the current guy who is going to be getting the snaps when Williams is not in the game, and honestly, Blue did not work out, so why not draft another running back later in the draft?
A guy like Seth McGowan could get maybe in the 5th through 7th. The running back from Kentucky is a guy that is projected to go between the 5th and 7th round. Seth McGowan impressed at the NFL Combine by jumping the biggest vertical (42.5 inches) and broad jump (10-foot-11) among participating ball carriers. Heâs a decisive runner who rushed for 12 touchdowns in 2025. Off-field questions are present after being dismissed from Oklahoma. Fits perfectly for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, huh?
Yet, the Cowboysâ current running back room is dependent on Javonte Williams staying healthy. Taking a chance on a guy who ran for nearly 800 yards and scored 12 times last year isnât a bad thing that late in the draft. Mafah is the guy that everyone seems to love though, and maybe he will take over the role if they donât draft a guy. In college before his injury, he was a stud at Clemson. During his final year, he rushed for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns. Yet Mafah, as a rookie a year ago like Blue, failed to do anything that made anyone jump out of their seats.
Cowboys could be walking into a Jets trap with David Bailey buzz â Mike Luciano, The Landry Hat
Draft time smoke screens are always fun to imagine.
The Dallas Cowboys are in a position to bring in some impactful players on the defensive side of the ball in the 2026 NFL Draft, but only having the No. 12 and No. 20 picks in the Draft will make it impossible for them to land one of the premier pass rushers like Ohio Stateâs Arvell Reese or Texas Techâs David Bailey. The Cowboys have been linked to Bailey more often than a team picking that late in the Draft should be, as some pre-draft whispers have suggested that Dallas is looking to mortgage their first-round picks to move up in the order to select the Lubbock dynamo.
That might explain the sudden change in how the New York Jets have been operating. After being linked to Reese non-stop for weeks, multiple national insiders have now suggested that Bailey will be the pick at No. 2 overall. This sounds like an attempt to bait Dallas in particular. After some rumors suggested that Dallas would be interested in trading up for Bailey, this may be a ploy by the Jets to make it look like Bailey will be gone before the Arizona Cardinals pick at No. 3 overall, thus increasing the hypothetical offer from the Cowboys.
David Bailey-Jets rumors could be a ploy to trade with the Dallas Cowboys
There are reasons to have some doubt as to the veracity of these rumors. Many local reporters around the Jets are saying that Reese is still the expected favorite for the No. 2 selection, but those in the national media seem to be banging the Bailey drum. The pre-draft rumor season is in full swing. If the Cowboys do go for broke and trade up to acquire Bailey, he would be an ideal fit next to Donovan Ezeiruaku. The run defense may be problematic, but thatâs why this team has invested in names like Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Rashan Gary to help compensate for those shortcomings.
Draft target could serve as the Cowboys new linebacking punisher â Dan Rogers, Blogging the Boys
With a need at linebacker, this draft talent could change everything for the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys linebacker room remains a giant work in progress. The team has attempted to add veterans in recent years to help stop the bleeding, but it hasnât panned out. Younger draft picks like DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau also have had their own issues providing reliable play at the position, leaving this position vulnerable once again.
The front office didnât do anything in free agency to address the position, leaving the upcoming NFL draft as their last chance to make improvements unless they circle back in a trade or free agent signing. To truly stabilize the defense under the new regime, the front office needs a sideline-to-sideline eraser who can hit like a freight train, making this Horned Frog an intriguing candidate.
LB, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU
Height: 6â2â | Weight: 234 pounds | Speed: 4.47 forty time
Background
His path to the pros is a testament to the power of persistence and a well-timed change of scenery. After suffering an ACL injury in his senior year in high school, he spent his first year at California rehabbing his knee. His sophomore season was spent contributing primarily on special teams. Once he cracked the starting lineup, his production exploded, leading to a high-profile transfer to Texas Christian. Over the last three seasons, he transformed into a defensive monster, culminating in a spectacular senior year where he led the Big 12 with 130 tackles. His consistency was almost comical, highlighted by a stretch where he recorded consecutive 16-tackle games, proving that if a ball carrier was in his zip code, they were going to the ground.
Daily Discussion Question: How many mock drafts have you done this year?
Q&A
Who are the top veteran players the Cowboys might trade for?
The Cowboys are looking at edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and linebacker Jordyn Brooks as potential trade targets to improve their roster.
What would it take for the Cowboys to trade for Jonathan Greenard?
The Cowboys would likely need to offer their third-round pick (92nd overall) and negotiate a new contract with Greenard, who has two years left on his current deal.
Why do the Cowboys need to trade for a linebacker like Jordyn Brooks?
The Cowboys need a leader in the middle of their defense, and Brooks, a First-Team All-Pro, would significantly upgrade their linebacker position after leading the NFL in tackles last season.
What impact could Jonathan Greenard have on the Cowboys' defense?
If acquired, Greenard would become the Cowboys' best pass rusher, having recorded over 12 sacks in back-to-back seasons prior to his injury last year.
