Dolphins first round trade with Cowboys almost didn’t happen

TL;DR

The Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys executed a last-minute trade during the 2026 NFL Draft, allowing the Cowboys to select safety Caleb Downs at pick #11. The trade agreement was finalized with just 10 seconds left on the Dolphins' clock.

Key points

Dolphins traded pick #11 to Cowboys for two fifth-round picks
Cowboys selected Caleb Downs at pick #11
Trade agreement finalized with 10 seconds left on the clock
Dolphins selected Kadyn Proctor at pick #12
ESPN's documentary captured the draft day excitement

Miami DolphinsDallas Cowboys2026 NFL DraftCaleb Downs

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 24: Jon-Eric Sullivan of the Miami Dolphins speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys made a trade in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft that saw Dallas give up two fifth round selections in order to move up one spot so they could select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at pick #11. Miami would take Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor one pick later. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, if you watched ESPN’s draft documentary *The Pick Is In*, you saw that the execution of the trade was far more dramatic than we first realized. Cowboys’ co-owner and director of player personnel, Stephen Jones, and new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan didn’t agree to the compensation Miami would receive until there was 10 seconds left on Miami’s allotted time to pick. Jones quickly called the league to inform them of the Downs selection so they wouldn’t be passed in draft order. Of course, Sullivan has already stated that Proctor was the team’s pick no matter who was on the board, so it’s unlikely that he would have changed his mind in order to spite the team he just traded with, but ESPN’s documentary did an exceptional job at capturing the excitement being in a draft day war room entails nonetheless.

Q&A

What trade did the Dolphins and Cowboys make during the 2026 NFL Draft?

The Dolphins traded their 11th pick to the Cowboys, who gave up two fifth-round selections to select safety Caleb Downs.

How close was the trade agreement between the Dolphins and Cowboys?

The trade agreement was finalized with only 10 seconds remaining on the Dolphins' clock to make their pick.

Who did the Dolphins select after trading with the Cowboys?

After the trade, the Dolphins selected Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor with the 12th pick.

Dolphins first round trade with Cowboys almost didn’t happen

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

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